h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Health experts say adults should eat no more than 6g of salt per day, That is about a teaspoon.

Flintshire council's trading standards officers have written to a number of fish and chip shops, and supplied salt shakers with fewer holes. the intent is to cut down the amount of salt applied to the take away meal.

These salt cellars have been specially made with five holes instead of the more normal (appx) 17 and paid for by the local council.

A spokesman said:
"What it means is that if people want more salt on their chips, it will mean more shakes, but in general we find that doesn't happen,"



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/7222466.stm

It sounds at first like one of those 'Stupid ideas that local councils come up with', but there's some truth to it. People will eventually cut down on their salt because they'll get tired of shaking three times as long in order to get the same amount of salt as before. Others might not even notice the difference.

I did a bit of a double take when I first read that.

The picture that half conjured itself up in the mind was of half a dozen yoofs who’ve imbibed a bit too much straight out of the pub, looking for a kebab and chips. All waiting patiently for the salt. After the second or third attempt they’ll be blowing into the holes coz they’re blocked, after the fourth attempt they’ll be levering the cap off and chucking it around the place, if not at the proprietor.

The next headlines will be ’Salt Cellar Rage!

It was only a couple of years ago that the great demon was sugar. I remember it being described as ‘poison on a spoon’. I don’t recall anyone advocating drilling holes in teaspoons to stop you getting too much sugar in your tea.

Yeah, I've heard that kind of hyperbole before and I must admit that I smirked at it in a dismissive manner (perhaps because I spent five years working in sweet factories as a sugar boiler ), even though I haven't had sugar in my tea for at least 30 years.

I'll continue to salt my vegetables well cos that's how I like them. I eat no salty snacks like crisps and very little in the way of processed foods. I buy tuna with no added salt, and unsalted cashews, so I'm content with my salt intake.

I thought that there was something bugging me about this report. And I‘ve just realised what’s wrong with it after going to get F&C last night. I can use one of three different chippies on the way home depending on which direction I‘m coming from and they all do the same thing.

They ask you if you want salt and vinegar while they’re wrapping it, and THEY apply it.

I was standing in the Friday night queue and watched them do it for each customer in front of me. When the answer was ‘Yes’ the salt got shaken over the meal and at least 20% didn’t hit the chips. The vinegar wasn’t much better, you might just about have been able to smell it.. If they had to use a five hole shaker to get enough out, the queue would have been a whole lot longer.

If that’s the same over most chippies then I’m afraid their initiative is going to be a bit of a non starter.