[Status and trend for sodium content of Chinese per-packaged foods]

To collect the data on the sodium content of Chinese per-packaged foods, and to analyze the variation trend of sodium content.

1279 data on the sodium content of per-packaged foods in all were recorded and analyzed through the investigation of per-packaged food nutrition labels, and were categorized into 31 varieties. Median sodium content and variation were calculated for each variety and compared with 2004 sodium content data on China Food Composition.

There are 6 per-packaged foods varieties has the median sodium content more than 500 mg/100 g. The food varieties with the highest mean sodium content were ready-to-eat food(2500 mg/100 g), followed by instant noodles (1900 mg/100 g). Compared with 1991 -2004 per-packaged foods sodium content, 13 varieties had medium sodium content that increased, and 5 varieties increased significantly, such as cake, liquid milk, instant noodles etc.

The survey show that sodium content of some per-packaged food increased.