Salt Manufacturers Association

The Salt Manufacturers' Association is the trade association representing UK manufacturers of salt for domestic, catering, water-softening, industrial and de-icing uses. The association supports its members by: representing the views and objectives of the salt industry to relevant government and international organisations providing a forum where members can exchange knowledge and scientific information on research, legislation, diet and nutrition, technical training and safety issues promoting balanced exposure for scientific research on salt and human health.

In turn, SMA is a member of the European Salt Producers’ Association (EuSalt) and subscribes to its code of practice, which promotes responsible care with the participation of employees, customers, users and communities. Concern for health, safety, environmental and quality issues forms an integral part of its business.

Personnel

No staff members are listed on the website

Member organisations

• British Salt Limited
• Cleveland Potash Limited
• Ineos Enterprises Limited
• Irish Salt Mining & Exploration Co Ltd
• Salt Union Limitied

• The Association is a member of European Salt Producers’ Association (EUSalt).

Affiliations

The Association has links with several organisation including

• The American Society of Hyertension
• The Food and Drink Federation
• The Food Standards Agency (FSA)
• The Institute of Food Research
• The Salt Institute
• The Social Issues Research Centre

Funding

The website does not disclose how the Association is funded

Policy work

The Association covers three main business areas, industry, pharmaceuticals and the food industry. Within their food industry secti0n they produce several briefings on salt and health.

The Association campaigns continously against the Government's advice policy regarding salt intake. The Association claimed that a string of experts across the world have questioned the UK Government's blanket advice, including Immediate past president of the European Hypertension Society, Professor Tony Heagerty Nutrition Expert, Dr David McCarron, whose research suggests that mineral deficiency, rather than salt comspuntion, is one of the most important influences upon high blood pressure Professor Ron Maughan, sports scientist, Loughborough University. Researched sweating tendancies of footballer st premier clubs and found that some could lose up to 20g of sodium in a day's training. Leading British physiologists, ProFessor Bill Keatinge has found that, in unacclimatized elderly subjects, the risk of heart attack or stroke is increased by salt depletion during a heatwave. He suggests that they should be strongly advised not to reduce their salt intake in summer or when holidaying in warmer Professor Ingo Fusgen, University of Witten-Herdecke in Germany. Studies show that up to 10 per cent of older people suffer from sodium deficiency. Professor Deiderick Grobbee, cardiovascular specialist from the Netherlands and author of the Rotterdam. Tested 8,000 people in their 50s+ and found that as long as their salt intake wasno more than 16g a day, there was an insignificant effect on blood pressure.

The Associations' latests press release highlighted the view that a low salt diet could be harmful. Dr David McCarron, Executive Director of Shaping America’s Youth, a private/public partnership of the Office of the US Surgeon General, visited the UK in July 2007 and gave several lectures. Dr McCarron claimed that the Government's policy on salt “ could prove to be the next major public health disaster. Dr McCarrom went on to state that “Do we know that a low sodium diet saves lives? No we don't. The secondary evidence from trials so far says that there's no benefit and there may be harm – these studies do not support a benefit to public health.”

Contact Details

The Associations website only gives an e-mail contact: info@saltinfo.com

Media enquiries are dealt with by: Daybreak Communications 0845 644 3845

The Associations' newsletter gives a Box number : Box 125 Kendal, Cumbria,LA8 8XA