Some imports reach Australian shops with European labels reporting sodium in grams per 100 grams (g/100g). Foods with 1000 mg/100g show it as 1.0 g/100g, and 400 mg/100g is 0.4 g/100g.
In theory the upper limit for a low salt food (120 mg/100g) could be printed as 0.12 g/100g, but in practice the nearest you will usually find is either 0.1 g/100g or 0.2 g/100g.
At first glance you might think this rye crispbread had only a trace of sodium, but the 100 gram column has been printed on the left. 0.7 g/100g is 700 mg/100g.
If you were ever tempted to buy a food with 0.2 g/100g, you should remember that this is 200 mg/100g, and everything above 120 mg/100g is now regarded as less safe.
High blood pressure in zoo chimpanzees was attributed to special biscuits called Purina Monkey Chow, with a sodium content of 240 mg/100g (Nature Medicine 1995;1:1009–1016).
Page last modified on: Tuesday 06 Nov, 2007