Packed meals at convenience stores contain large amounts of sodium

Packed meals sold at convenience stores contain a lot of sodium, on average nearly 70 percent of the recommended daily consumption, according to data collected by Green Consumer Network Korea, Wednesday. / Korea Times file

By Bahk Eun-ji

Packed meals sold at convenience stores here contain a very high level of sodium, sometimes even more than World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended daily consumption level of 2,000 milligrams, a consumer group said Wednesday.

Green Consumer Network Korea said it surveyed 15 pre-packaged lunch boxes from five convenience store chains nationwide ― CU, GS25, 7-Eleven, Emart 24 and Ministop ― for three months from last July.

The WHO recommended maximum daily intake of sodium is 2,000 milligrams per day for adults. But the average amount contained in the 15 meals was 1,393 milligram per package, meaning a person could consume 69.6 percent of the daily recommended level of sodium with one packed meal.

Among them, 7-eleven's chicken lunch box contained the largest amount of sodium, with 2,397 milligram, which surpasses the daily recommendation.

Some products contained different amounts of sodium from those recorded on the packaging. One meal sold at Ministop showed it had 228 milligrams of sodium per 100 grams, but the consumer group's study found it actually contained 343 milligrams.

“Consumers worry about consuming too many additives or condiments in those convenience stores' lunch box meals,” the consumer group said in its report.

“The meal manufacturers need to make efforts to reduce sodium amounts for consumers' health.”