Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41228447›Full record

ArticleNutrients2025

Voluntary Food Reformulation Initiatives Failed to Reduce the Salt Content of Artisanal Breads in Greece.

Georgios Marakis, Sotiria Kotopoulou, Stavroula Skoulika, Georgios Petropoulos, Zoe Mousia, Emmanuella Magriplis, Antonis Zampelas

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nutrients, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Georgios MarakisHellenic Food Authority, 11526 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0003-3468-5100
Sotiria KotopoulouHellenic Food Authority, 11526 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0002-5234-0635
Stavroula SkoulikaHellenic Food Authority, 11526 Athens, Greece.
Georgios PetropoulosHellenic Food Authority, 11526 Athens, Greece.
Zoe MousiaHellenic Food Authority, 11526 Athens, Greece.
Emmanuella MagriplisDepartment of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0001-6517-6857
Antonis ZampelasHellenic Food Authority, 11526 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0002-4242-3365

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundReducing salt in bread is considered a straightforward, cost-effective public health intervention and is implemented in several countries, either voluntarily or through legislation. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Greece in 2016, setting a voluntary maximum salt content of 1.2% in artisanal bread. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the MoU and assessed the potential impact of reducing salt in bread on overall salt intake, using the MoU target and the relevant WHO global sodium benchmark.

methodsArtisanal bread samples (

resultsThe MoU and related voluntary awareness activities were ineffective as a strategy to reduce salt in bread. The mean salt content in bread in 2024 was 1.41 (0.30)%, representing a 6.8% increase compared to 1.32 (0.31)% in 2012. Only 19.4% of samples in 2024 contained ≤1.2% salt, compared to 31.8% in 2012. Full MoU compliance would enable an additional 3.1% of Greek bread consumers, currently exceeding 5 g in their daily salt intake from foods alone, to reduce their intake to below 5 g. This would rise to 6.2% if the WHO sodium benchmark was implemented.

conclusionsA mandatory salt limit, aligned with the WHO global benchmark, is urgently needed to support national reformulation strategies. This work can contribute to European and international discussions on food reformulation.

Indexed as

BreadFood HandlingSodium Chloride, DietaryGreeceHumansNutrition SurveysSodium Chloride, Dietaryartisanal breadmodeling scenariosMoUsaltWHO sodium benchmarks

Identifiers

PMID41228447
PMCPMC12610621

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.