OMAHA, Neb. — ConAgra Foods said it has removed about 2.8 million pounds of salt from Americans’ diets annually through its reduced-sodium products. Over the past few years, the company has cut sodium by 15% to 20% in many brands, including Banquet, Chef Boyardee, Kid Cuisine, Marie Callender’s and Orville Redenbacher’s. “We have focused our efforts on improving the nutritional profile of many of our foods, including successfully reducing sodium content in our top-selling products,” said Al Bolles, research, quality and innovation vice president. ConAgra Foods is also investing in new technologies that allow the company to reduce sodium even further, he said. One of its first successes is its Orville Redenbacher’s SmartPop! microwave popcorn, which contains 30% less sodium than the regular version. “We are now refining that breakthrough ingredient and developing others so that we can continue to meet consumer demand for great-tasting, lower-sodium foods,” said Bolles.

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