The other day, I came across an article that claimed French bakeries are complaining about the government’s recent law to reduce the salt contents of their beloved national treasure, called Baguette bread. Yes, the very same Baguette famous all over the world that was put on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2022.
The problems started when in 2018, legislatures in France decided that the salt consumption in France is way too high (estimated as double the normal level, but below the level in the UK), and the famous Baguette contributes to 18% of that consumption. So after years of twisting, turning, debating and haggling, they have brought in a legislation to reduce it (Just hold on a bit, I will soon give you the number).
Now since 2015, the bakeries, under their own impetus and probably assisted by some general arm twisting, reduced the Baguette’s salt content by about 20%, but I guess it is still too high for the authorities’ liking. So now, the bakers, and some of the consuming public are upset that any further reduction will destroy the taste and possibly the texture of this twice to thrice daily consumed national treasure. Having been forced in the past to consume low salt food, especially bread, I vouch for the awful taste of low salt bread, especially my beloved Baguette.
Now getting to our number. Apparently, a typical baguette has 1.5g of salt per 100g of bread, and the average daily consumption of salt per French is 7.7g. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 5g to be the normal level, and as a reference, UK’s average consumption per person in 8.1g.
With the background numbers above, we can get to the crux of the matter: the reduction requirement is to go from the previously mentioned 1.5g of salt per 100g , to 1.4g of salt. A mere 0.1g reduction!! Is that something to go head over hills about? Would it even make a difference to the taste? Well, I don’t know, but here is my take on this:
- If you have a 2.7g over-consumption, and the Baguette contributes to 18% of the consumption, what difference does 0.1g make, so why create an antagonism for such an amount? All that after almost 5 years of debate and investigation? As we would say in French, ‘Franchement’, don’t you have anything better to do?
I understand the other side of the argument, that honestly, what difference would 0.1g less salt make to the Baguette? And in any case, people should understand that this is just a symbolic request.
Well, maybe, but frankly, is this not one of the symptoms of our society: we have sacred cows that we do not want to touch, but politically we have to. So we make a wishy washy claim that we hope goes unnoticed, but then it explodes in our face, for good or bad reasons. Ay ya yay 🙂
Paris, January 8, 2024
Zeejay