Krazy Krystal's Laboratory

My Paper

Aim: To determine the amount of condiment present in single serve sachets of common table seasonings.

Introduction: Condiments are a ubiquitous presence in eating establishments in the UK, however there is little information in the literature regarding standard doses. The mass present in a single serve sachet of common sauces, such as tomato sauce and brown sauce, is often displayed on the packaging (1), however similar figures for salt and pepper are rarely given. This study aims to determine the mass contained in a single serve sachet of salt, and of pepper, in order to provide perspective regarding common condiment consumption.

Materials and Methods: Salt and Pepper sachets (n = 5) were sourced from the University of York. The mass of contents was measured using an analytical balance.

Results:

• 0.8415
  
• 1.1621
  
• 1.0639
  
• 0.8230
  
• 0.8156
  

• 0.1790
• 0.1509
• 0.2076
• 0.1292
• 0.1214

The maximum mass of salt present in a single sachet serve was 1.1621g, whilst the minimum value was 0.8156g, thus giving a range of 0.3465g. The average mass of salt per sachet was 0.9412 g with a standard deviation of 0.1609g, which when expressed as a percentage is 17%.

The average mass of pepper present was statistically significantly less than that of salt (p < >-5). The maximum mass of pepper present in a single sachet serve was 0.2076g, whilst the minimum value was 0.1214g, thus giving a range of 0.0862g. The average mass of pepper per sachet was 0.1576g with a standard deviation of 0.0358g, which when expressed as a percentage is 23%.


Discussion: Increased intake of dietary salt has been linked to poor health outcomes, including the development of hypertension, which is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, obesity, and premature mortality (2). Recent data suggests that salt consumption in the UK is falling, but that the average adult intake of salt is still greater than the recommended 6 g per day (3). This has lead to the launch of programmes such as the Salt Campaign (4), which encourages consumer awareness regarding the consumption of this condiment. In this study, we (being I) have shown that there is significant variation in the amount of salt present in single serve condiment sachets, and that this amount is much greater than that found in less health-adverse condiments such as pepper. It is foreseeable that an average university student, who's dietary needs are supplied directly by the university, may add 1-2 sachets of salt to their food per meal, and in this way, breach the recommended daily dosages. For this reason we (being I) recommend that clear indications of portion mass be given on packaging to heighten consumer awareness and assist the populace in healthy lifestyle choice. That or enhance the quality of university food such that auto-condimentation becomes obselete.

References:

1. http://www.heinzfoodservice.co.uk/

2. http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/saltandhealth0503.pdf

3. http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk/news/pressreleases/2007/mar/saltconsumptioncampaign

4. http://www.salt.gov.uk/no_more_than_6.html

Acknowledgments: The author would like to thank KLM and TBFM for their encouraging support of this research.

posted by Dr Krystal @ 10:19 pm