Table 2 Issues and ways to improve salt reduction in Malaysia

Awareness

(1) Lack of awareness among food industries/operators to reformulate and produce low salt foods

(2) Lack of awareness and poor behaviour among consumers towards consumption of high salt foods that influence acceptance towards lower salt foods

(3) Media advertisement of unhealthy foods attract consumers, especially children, to buy unhealthy foods that are high in salt

(1) Creates awareness among food industries/operators to reduce salt in food products and prepared meals

(2) Recognition given to lower salt foods/meals or premises that prepared lower salt/healthy foods to encourage reformulation and production of lower salt foods

(3) Campaign that is clear, inclusive and use various communication channels to create awareness among consumers on the importance of consuming lower salt foods and restricting the advertisement of the unhealthy foods that are high in salt

Knowledge

(1) Lack of knowledge among food industries/operators on food reformulation

(2) Lack of knowledge among food operators to prepare lower salt foods/meals

(3) Lack of knowledge among consumers on the recommended salt intake

(1) Assist the food industries/operators in reformulation and use proper technology in food processing without compromising taste and quality

(2) Provide standard guidelines and mandatory courses and trainings to food operators in food preparation

(3) Educate the consumer on the recommended salt intake and emphasize the importance of reading food labelling to make informed choices. Education can also be carried out in school via health programs that will introduce school children to knowledge on healthy eating and change their attitudes and behaviours towards healthy and low salt foods

Resources

(1) Lack of funding and manpower to carry out salt reduction campaign

(2) Increase of cost due to reformulation and the use of technology in production of low salt foods

(1) Provide sufficient resources (funding and manpower) to do impactful campaign

(2) Financially support food industries, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to carry out reformulation and use technology in food processing to reduce salt

Priority

Lack of support and prioritization for salt at the ministry and government agency level

Involvement in political drive could make government prioritize the salt reduction policy

Monitoring and enforcement

(1) Lack or absence of monitoring and enforcement will make food industries/food providers feel safe in not following the act

(1) Frequent monitoring of packed foods and foods prepared at out-of-home sector and give punishments, including withdrawing business licenses, if they do not follow the act

(2) Guidelines for selling foods in school or outside the school need to be created to prevent unhealthy foods sold at these areas

Price and availability

(1) Natural flavour enhancers and salt substitutes (e.g. potassium chloride, KCl) are pricier than regular salt

(2) Lower salt foods are expensive and not easily available

(1) Reduce the price of lower salt products, natural flavour enhancers and salt substitutes

(2) Raise the price of regular salt and impose a salt taxation