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General Mills meets 20% salt reduction target

General Mills has reported it has achieved its public goal to reduce sodium by 20% across all ten key U.S. product categories.

In an update to its 2015 voluntary sodium reduction announcement, General Mills reported that the three remaining key categories – Mexican dinners, ready-to-eat soup, and cereal - have now successfully achieved the company’s 20% sodium reduction goal.

With this announcement General Mills has now achieved its 20% reduction goal across all ten key categories, which include cereals, dry dinners, frozen pizza, Mexican dinners, refrigerated dough products, savoury snacks, canned vegetables, side dishes, soups, and variety baking mixes. Additionally, the company says it has made significant sodium reductions in many other categories that were not officially part of its commitment, including frozen breakfast products, dessert mixes, grain snacks and frozen appetizers.

“We are making clear progress in becoming a more consumer-connected General Mills as evidenced by our continued work and commitment to sodium reduction,” said Tom Hockenberry, senior director of General Mills' Innovation, Technology & Quality team. “As we continue on this journey, we have actively invested - and will continue to do so – in developing the advanced technical solutions that will be required to achieve additional sodium reductions.”

In addition to reducing sodium, General Mills says it has also continued to improve the nutrient density of its products over time by increasing nutrients such as whole grain, fibre, vitamins and minerals across food groups, all while ensuring great taste.

In 2010, the company publicly stated its pledge to reduce sodium by 20% in 10 key U.S. product categories. Over the last 10 years, the company says its work has led to novel discoveries that will allow meaningful sodium reduction while also meeting consumer, food safety, functional and shelf life demands.