Oct. 15, 2009 (Business Wire) -- ConAgra Foods, Inc., (NYSE: CAG) one of North America’s leading food makers, today announced its pledge to reduce salt across its portfolio of food products by 20 percent by 2015. Since 2006, the company has already removed more than 2 million pounds of salt from it products. Today’s pledge adds 8 million pounds of salt to the equation, with the company ultimately removing 10 million pounds of salt from American diets each year.

The company’s commitment builds on ConAgra Foods’ legacy as a leader in helping consumers reduce and control sodium intake. More than 20 years ago, ConAgra Foods introduced Healthy Choice^® meals to the marketplace—the first, and still the only, line of meals in the grocery store to earn the “healthy” label, in part, for meeting the U.S. government’s recommendations for healthy sodium levels.

“Sodium reduction is part of our ongoing work to make food more nutritious,” said Gary Rodkin, ConAgra Foods CEO. “Americans need less salt in their diets, and they want less salt in their diets. We have the capability to meet consumer wants and needs—food people love not only because it tastes good, but also because it’s better for them.”

In fact, the latest HealthFocus Trend Report noted that both interest in and use of lower salt options among primary grocery shoppers has increased dramatically over the past four years. In 2004, 19 percent of shoppers indicated they used low-sodium products once a week or more, compared to 41 percent using low-sodium products once a week or more in 2008.

Building on the knowledge and expertise gained through their development of recipes for Healthy Choice, ConAgra Foods’ chefs and scientists have worked diligently since 2006 to reduce salt in various brands, such as Orville Redenbacher’s^® popcorn and Chef Boyardee^® pasta. To date, this work has resulted in 2 million fewer pounds of salt per year in the domestic food supply.

Over the past few years, several respected public health authorities, including the World Health Organization, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and the American Heart Association, have solidified their position on the importance of reducing sodium intake. Research released earlier this year by two different groups¹ calculated the potential health and economic benefits of sodium reduction to the American public. Based upon those estimates it is projected that, if the food industry were to follow ConAgra Foods’ lead and reduce salt by 20 percent across product portfolios, U.S. medical costs might be reduced by as much as $4 billion to $10 billion annually.