Health ministers want to cut Canada's salt consumption

Alberta's Health Minister, Gene Zwozdesky, and his provincial and territorial counterparts have come up with a plan to reduce the amount of salt in the prepared and pre-packaged foods we buy.

Ottawa has been slow to bring in mandatory reductions, arguing a voluntary approach is better.  The new plan would be a compromise.

The idea is being pitched to the federal health minister Tuesday.

In the agreement, the food industry will have a chance to prove itself, but if that fails then mandatory levels would kick in.

Some food experts believe the voluntary program is just a waste of time.

"I don't think that the food companies, if they have their lobbyists up in arms, are really going to comply with this," says Nutritionist Ciara Foy.  "It is a national problem that is costing us a fortune in health care dollars."

Lobbyists for the industry argue preservation of foods could be compromised with hard targets, but Foy says that's simply not true.  She says most of the salt in pre-packaged and prepared foods is in there for taste.

Alberta's health minister tells The Calgary Herald the new system, whatever it may look like, would begin next year.

He believes work on mandatory target legislation should begin immediately, just in case the food companies don't follow through.

On average, Canadians consume double the recommended daily intake of salt.  By taking it down by 1,100 milligrams a day, it could save the health system $1.4-billion a year.