The recent American Medical Association (AMA) report, which highlights the substantial public health gains by reducing daily salt intake, was hailed by AWASH, but Dr Bruce Neal, chair of the organisation, suggested that measures are not being taken to lower the health risks.

"There is clear evidence that salt is a major cause of high blood pressure, translating into greatly increased risks of heart attacks and stroke," he said.

He continued, "Not nearly enough is being done to reduce salt in people's diets and Australians are consuming far too much. Most are eating well above the 6 grams per day recommended by the Heart Foundation of Australia. A reduction to 6 grams a day would prevent about one fifth of all strokes and heart attacks in Australia each year."

According to WASH, the global division of the organisation, the health implications of high salt intake are backed up by research from a wide range of sources. Numerous scientists are convinced that high salt intake is responsible for increasing blood pressure (hypertension), a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) - a disease that causes almost 50 per cent of deaths in Europe.

Facts re-emphasised by the author of the AMA report Dr Stephen Hamas, who conceded that past advice may not have lived up to standard, with the association's guidance 'not to not to use salt at the table, or when cooking' being of little significance when 80 per cent of people's salt coming from restaurant and processed foods.

However, the salt debate is still shrouded in controversy, with Dr Neal, a senior director at The George Institute for International Health, lashing out at recent criticism by the Salt Manufacturers' Association UK over the UK government policy.

Adding to the on-going debate, the Salt Manufacturers Agency has said that the current UK policy is putting the population at risk, stating that longer term methods and large-scale controlled trials are required to see if low- salt diet improves life expectancy.

However, Dr Neal has rubbished these claims, stating that the Agency is acting on a vested interest.

"The UK government's salt reduction policy is based on sound scientific evidence. The Salt Manufacturers' claims that such a salt reduction strategy may actually do harm ignore the weight of the evidence that links salt to blood pressure and blood pressure to cardiovascular disease."

Indeed, heightened campaign movements by associations such as WASH, AWASH and the AMA are causing players within the food industry to reformulate many products, with the UK, Ireland and the USA claiming that over 80 per cent of salt intake comes from processed food, with 20 per cent of salt intake coming from meat and meat products, and about 35 per cent from cereal and cereal products.

However, these are the exact companies that WASH is targeting - believing that persuading international food companies to reduce the salt content in processed foods and establishing a uniform reduced salt level in each country could therefore save lives.