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LESS SALT, MORE TASTE –
A NATIONAL MOVEMENT TO REDUCE SODIUM IN DISHES

Singapore, 15 December 2023 – Six key industry associations from the food and culinary sector in Singapore have pledged their support for the “Less Salt, More Taste” movement to promote the use of less salt and sauces in our food.    

  1. Minister for Health, Mr Ong Ye Kung, rallied the support of the Association of Catering Professionals Singapore (ACAPS), Food Industry Asia (FIA), Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS), Singapore Chefs’ Association (SCA), Singapore Food Manufacturers’ Association (SFMA), and Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) at a dialogue on 11 December 2023. The associations signed the joint statement of support at the dialogue, which outlined their commitment to advocate for the “Less Salt, More Taste” movement, by working with their members to reduce the sodium content in dishes and increase the supply of lower-sodium ingredients. The joint statement of support can be found in Annex A. 

  1. The Health Promotion Board (HPB)’s sodium reduction strategy aims to reduce Singaporeans’ sodium intake by 15% by 2026. This equates to shaving off 1.5 to 2g (about ¼ teaspoon) of salt per day, which is linked to significant improvements in blood pressure at the population level. A key source of our sodium intake comes from added salt, sauces and seasonings, largely from food eaten outside the home. On average, sodium levels in dishes have increased by 22% between 2010 and 2023.  

  1. As a first step, HPB is garnering the commitment of leaders in the food service and manufacturing sectors to reduce sodium in our food. Food and Beverage (F&B) leaders are encouraged to change their recipes and add less salt and sauces, or switch to use lower-sodium alternatives for salt, sauces and seasonings. Manufacturers are also encouraged to increase the supply of lower-sodium ingredients for the food service sector.  

Engaging the industry  

  1. During the dialogue session, the associations noted that our food has become saltier and supported the move to cut down sodium in Singaporeans’ diets. They agreed that the local cuisine, being part of the Southeast Asian region, is already flavourful through the use of various ingredients such as herbs and spices, and reducing saltiness can enable consumers to better taste the natural flavours.  Several associations shared that they have already started reducing sodium in their products and dishes. As it would take time for consumers’ palates to adjust, the associations stressed the importance of continued public education efforts, to educate both consumers and F&B operators on the need to reduce sodium without compromising taste.   

  1. Another issue raised during the dialogue was the need to look into the availability and cost of lower-sodium ingredients. To address this, HPB has already enhanced the Healthier Ingredient Development Scheme to extend support to salt suppliers to expand the range of lower-sodium alternatives. With this, the wholesale price of most lower-sodium salt, sauces and seasonings supplied to food operators are now comparable to that of regular versions. 

Supporting the industry to develop healthy and innovative recipes  

  1. After the session, the six associations were invited to sample two lower-sodium Asian dishes (Soya Sauce Braised Chicken Rice and Soto Ayam), presented by Nanyang Polytechnic’s Asian Culinary Institute Singapore (ACI) to showcase significant reduction in sodium while enhancing taste. The ACI will be working with HPB to organise seminars to support the F&B industry in the development and innovation of healthy Asian food recipes as part of the “Less Salt, More Taste” movement. 

Taking charge of our health 

  1. According to the National Nutrition Survey 2022, Singaporeans are on average consuming about 3,600mg of sodium a day (9 grams or close to 2 teaspoons of salt), almost two times the World Health Organization’s recommended daily limit of 2,000mg per day (5 grams or about a teaspoon of salt). 9 in 10 Singaporeans exceed the daily limit. 

  1. Lowering Singaporeans’ sodium intake requires a concerted effort, from individuals themselves adopting healthier diets, to players in the food industry – manufacturers, suppliers, and food operators – increasing the availability and usage of lower-sodium ingredients.