PHOSPHORUS IN THE DIET AND PRAGMATIC ISSUES FROM THE FOOD INDUSTRY

The food industry over the last decade has undergone a major transformation in the way they manufacture food, often to the detriment of nutritional paradigms. Two key components are pivotal to many of these changes: salt and phosphate food additives. Traditional databases of food composition, especially for processed foods, are no longer relevant. Phosphorus levels in foods aren't required to be on labels and are rarely provided. Phosphorus-containing food additives are widely used in all types of foods, often where they have never been seen before. It is common practice to relate phosphorus content in food closely to protein value. This can only be reliable for unprocessed raw materials. Any processed foods may have phosphorus additives which will not be evident on the labels and protein is measured by Kjeldahl nitrogen, which falsely assumes all nitrogen in foods is protein-related. The reality and future directions of the food industry need to be taken into account when making nutritional recommendations. The way forward is to understand the challenges the food industry faces and work with them to elucidate the problems and seek solutions