News

Subway cuts down on the salt

April 17, 2011

Subway has announced that it has reduced the amount of sodium in its Fresh Fit sandwiches by 28 percent.

In addition, the brand has removed 15 percent of sodium across the board in its core sandwiches. The reduced sodium offerings will eliminate 450 tons of sodium each year compared to levels three years ago.

According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on high blood pressure and cholesterol, one in three adults has high blood pressure and an adult dies of cardiovascular disease, stroke or heart attack every 39 seconds. Sodium intake has been highlighted as a major contributor to high blood pressure.

There has been a push over the last couple of years to lower the amounts of sodium in the quick-service segment. Last year, the Institute of Medicine suggested new government standards for the acceptable level of sodium in food.

Subway joins national initiative

Also last year, the National Salt Reduction Initiative, a public-private partnership established in New York City, was formed to urge restaurants to reduce salt levels from their menus. Subway was one of the first restaurants to jump on board.

At that time, Subway corporate dietitian Lanette Kovachi, RD, said the effort to do so without changing flavor profiles required a lot of work.

"Salt serves as a preservative in some products and also affects the textures of others. We've had a lot of times when we had to go back to the drawing board to get it right. It's been a long process," she said.

Prior to joining the initiative, Subway's creation of the Fresh Fit menu in 2007 helped customers choose low-fat alternatives, as well as more nutritious side items such as apples and yogurt.

"Through the years, consumers have looked to Subway for fresh and healthier food options," said Tony Pace, Subway Franchisee Advertising Fund chief marketing officer. "In a continual effort to exceed their expectations, we felt it was important to take this leadership role in terms of sodium reduction. This is another manifestation of Subway's mission to provide consumers with an abundance of made-to-order, flavorful and nutritious choices that they'll enjoy eating."

The brand has already met the 2012 sodium benchmarks and will meet the 2014 benchmarks set forth. Subway also is working on future sodium reductions as well as identifying opportunities to further enhance its nutritious offerings.