At a Glance
- 47% of fast food meals tested had more salt than labels claimed
- Pasta dishes sometimes exceeded daily limits in a single serving
- Study covered 39 takeout meals from 23 restaurants in Reading, UK
- Why it matters: Diners may unknowingly exceed daily sodium limits linked to stroke and heart disease
Fast food lovers counting on menu labels to track salt intake are often getting far more sodium than advertised. A new analysis of 39 takeout meals from 23 restaurants in Reading, England, found that nearly half contained higher salt levels than declared, with some pasta servings surpassing the daily limit recommended by health authorities.
The Salt Gap
Researchers purchased popular items-pizza, hamburgers, pasta, and sandwiches-from both local eateries and chains such as McDonald’s, Burger King, Domino’s, KFC, and Subway. After freezing, freeze-drying, and grinding each meal for lab testing, the team compared actual sodium levels against labeled values wherever labels existed.
Key findings:
- 47% of labeled meals exceeded declared salt content
- Several pasta dishes packed enough sodium in one serving to top the UK daily cap of 5 grams
- World Health Organization also advises <5 grams per day
Lead study author Gunter Kuhnle, professor of nutrition and food science at the University of Reading, told News Of Austin the results highlight a widespread variability problem. “Food composition is very variable, and that means that labels and food composition tables can really only be used as guidance, but not to calculate intake accurately,” he said.
Why Labels Miss the Mark
Kuhnle’s team has long documented how even natural compounds fluctuate in foods, altering nutrient intake from day to day. They turned to fast food expecting greater consistency, yet discovered that slight differences in preparation, ingredient quantities, and portion sizes routinely throw sodium counts off the advertised figure.
The study, published Wednesday in PLOS One, notes that the issue extends beyond consumer inconvenience. Nutrition researchers relying on menu data to estimate population salt intake may also draw flawed conclusions.
“Consumers should be aware that labels are mainly indicative,” Kuhnle emphasized. “This information should be taken with the proverbial ‘pinch of salt,’ and consumers-and scientists-need to accept these limitations.”
Global Relevance
While the experiment centered on Reading, it included multinational chains familiar to U.S. diners. Kuhnle cautioned that nutrient variability is unlikely to be confined to any single country, though he is not versed in specific U.S. food-service policies.
Average American sodium consumption illustrates why the gap matters:
| Guideline vs. Reality | Milligrams per Day |
|---|---|
| American Heart Association recommendation | 2,300 mg |
| Estimated average intake | 3,300 mg |
Excess sodium is a well-documented risk factor for stroke and heart disease, meaning even small underestimates on labels can carry significant health implications when repeated across multiple meals.
Next Steps
Kuhnle and colleagues plan further work on integrating real-world variability into labeling systems. “The core question is how we can incorporate this variability in labelling, but also in research,” he explained.
Until then, diners watching salt intake should treat menu figures as rough estimates rather than precise allowances. For most people, cutting overall sodium remains advisable regardless of label accuracy.
Key Takeaways
- Nearly half of fast food meals tested delivered stealth sodium above labeled values
- Single pasta servings occasionally exceeded daily salt limits
- Menu numbers serve as guidance, not guarantees
- Researchers aim to improve label accuracy by accounting for natural variability
