The CFS collected a total of 112 non-prepackaged bread samples from the retail level earlier this year. The samples came from different merchants across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories, including bakeries, Hong Kong-style cha chaan tengs, Western-style coffee shops selling bread, and supermarkets with baking departments. The study covered 12 types of bread, including bagels, butter, cheese buns, cocktail buns, croissants, French bread, pineapple buns, sausage buns, sesame buns, sweet dinner rolls, tuna buns, and raisin wheat bread. In addition, the CFS specially collected an extra 8 sausage bun samples and 8 tuna bun samples in order to separately test the sodium content of the bread portion and the filling portion (i.e., the sausage or tuna). Therefore, the total number of samples was 112. For bread types drawn from the same merchant, chain store, or brand, the limit was 3 types.
Sodium Content (per 100 g/mg)
Average: 550, Lowest: 250, Highest: 670
Sodium Content (per 100 g/mg)
Average: 490, Lowest: 280, Highest: 640
Sodium Content (per 100 g/mg)
Average: 470, Lowest: 380, Highest: 580
Sodium Content (per 100 g/mg)
Average: 460, Lowest: 310, Highest: 550
Sodium Content (per 100 g/mg)
Average: 440, Lowest: 260, Highest: 520
Sodium Content (per 100 g/mg)
Average: 380, Lowest: 240, Highest: 550
Sodium Content (per 100 g/mg)
Average: 300, Lowest: 160, Highest: 430
Sodium Content (per 100 g/mg)
Average: 280, Lowest: 200, Highest: 430
Sodium Content (per 100 g/mg)
Average: 150, Lowest: 32, Highest: 260
Sodium Content (per 100 g/mg)
Average: 130, Lowest: 19, Highest: 310
Sodium Content (per 100 g/mg)
Average: 130, Lowest: 18, Highest: 230
Sodium Content (per 100 g/mg)
Average: 320, Lowest: 13, Highest: 670
The study results showed that the average sodium content of these 12 types of bread samples was 320 mg per 100 g. The types with the highest average sodium content were French bread (550 mg per 100 g), cheese bun (490 mg per 100 g), and bagel (470 mg per 100 g), while the types with the lowest average sodium content were raisin wheat bread (100 mg per 100 g), butter bread, and sweet dinner roll (both 130 mg per 100 g). For several types of bread (such as French bread, cheese bun, bagel, sausage bun, croissant, sesame bun, tuna bun, and cocktail bun), the difference in sodium content among individual samples was about one to two times. For several other types of bread (such as sweet dinner roll, butter bread, and raisin wheat bread), the difference in sodium content among individual samples was even more than 10 times, showing that the sodium content of the same type of bread samples varied considerably.
The study also found that after separate testing, in sausage buns and tuna buns, the sodium content of the filling portion was higher than that of the bread portion. Specifically, every 100 g of sausage filling and tuna filling contained 800 mg and 440 mg of sodium respectively, significantly higher than the bread portion. For sausage buns, the sausage accounted for an average of 55% of the total sodium content of the entire bun, with individual samples ranging from 46% to 71%. As for tuna buns, the tuna accounted for an average of 35% of the total sodium content of the entire bun, with individual samples ranging from 28% to 43%.
A CFS spokesperson said that although the overall average sodium content of the bread samples tested in the study was below the "high sodium" level (i.e., more than 600 mg per 100 g), the sodium content of individual types of bread was relatively high. For example, eating about one serving of French bread (about 100 g, or about one-third of a baguette) or one cheese bun already reaches about one-quarter of the World Health Organization's recommended upper limit for daily sodium intake (2,000 mg). The study also found that the sodium content of the same type of bread produced by different suppliers varied significantly, reflecting that the industry still has room to reduce sodium by changing formulations.
Maintain a balanced and diverse diet.
Avoid excessive consumption of bread with higher sodium content, to prevent excessive sodium intake.
If purchasing prepackaged bread, refer to the sodium content stated in the nutrition label, and also pay attention to the content of other nutrients (such as sugar and fat).
Consider changing production methods and ingredient formulations to reduce the sodium content of bread.
Provide consumers with more lower-sodium choices, and consider offering smaller-sized bread.
Establish a company food database to record the sodium content of bread produced, for easy monitoring.
Source: Centre for Food Safety
