By Kim Tae-jong
The Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) has requested local food manufacturing companies to gradually reduce the sodium level in traditional Korean foods such as soy sauce, soybean paste and hot-pepper paste.
The low-sodium campaign comes as many Koreans are at risk of a variety of health problems due to their dietary habit of eating salty, spicy food, the KFDA said.
It is also aimed at boosting the globalization of Korean food or “hansik,” which the nation has actively pursued over the past few years. Many foreigners have complained that most Korean dishes are too spicy or salty.
“On average, Koreans consume more than twice the optimum salt level as recommended by the World Health Organization. Those between their 30s and 50s eat three times more than suggested,” Kang Baek-won, a KFDA official, said.
Such bad dietary habits are mainly attributed to typical Korean meals which consist primarily of salty kimchi, soybean paste and hot-pepper paste.
A high sodium intake can cause serious health problems such as high blood pressure, stomach cancer, osteoporosis and strokes, Kang noted.
Local food companies have also submitted their plans to reduce sodium levels in their products by two to four percent. Some of the firms also plan to sell new products which contain less than half the current salt levels.
The KFDA plans to reduce the sodium level of soy sauce, soybean paste and hot-pepper paste by 11 percent on average by 2013.
“But even after manufacturing companies reduce the level of sodium in their products, it is very important not to eat too much soybean or hot-pepper paste,” he said.
The KFDA has previously demanded instant noodle companies reduce the high amount of salt in their products. It also plans to expand the low-sodium campaign to include other foods.