Gourmet salt manufacturer breaches code

Labels on Mrs Rogers-brand Himalayan rock salt promote the product’s iodine, iron and calcium content. But there are miniscule amounts of these minerals in the salt and the claims breach the Food Standards Code.

Under the code, a company can only promote a food as a source of a specific mineral, such as calcium or iron, if it has at least 10% of an adult’s daily recommended intake in a serving.

Our investigation in April found gourmet salt manufacturers were promoting their products as nutritionally superior to cheaper table salts. But all salt contains essentially the same thing – sodium chloride – whether it’s sold as rock, sea or table varieties.

MPI has given Mrs Rogers until December to change its labels, a generous window given we notified the company of the problem in February.

We also found two other companies – The Healthy Salt Company and Lotus Foods – selling products with labels that don’t comply with the code.

The Healthy Salt Company’s labelling describes its salt as a source of calcium and zinc, and Lotus Foods highlights its magnesium content.

MPI says it’s still “working with” The Healthy Salt Company on the issue. The ministry’s counterpart in Australia is working with Melbourne-based Lotus Foods.