A mother has voiced her shock and concern after discovering the amount of salt in baby food can be the same as in a bag of adult crisps.

Lucy Baena, 33, of Crescent Road, Brighton, issued a stark warning to other parents, saying she was surprised by the revelations.

She said: “When I heard about this survey I was taken aback.

“My little girl, who is three, needs to have snacks throughout the day to keep her going, and while I aim to make my own, realistically it is not always possible and I rely on what’s available in the baby and toddler aisle at the supermarket.

“We all know how damaging salt can be, especially for babies, so I think it’s great to raise awareness of this.”

Ms Baena, who offers pregnancy support at Doula UK, said it was hard for parents to find a brand they can trust.

She said: “As someone who works with young families in Brighton I am passionate about healthy eating, particularly during the postnatal period.

“I was stunned to hear that certain brands out there have the same amount of salt as in a standard packet of ready salted crisps.

“It is not always clear from the pack as to what is in it, and I just wish brands would be more transparent with their food labelling and not let us parents down.”

The high salt content in some snacks designed specifically for children was revealed in a report carried out by food investigator and BBC’s Inside The Factory programme presenter Cherry Healey.

Ms Healey, a mother of two, has now launched a nationwide campaign with baby food brand Organix, and parenting bloggers across the UK to find out what is hiding inside finger foods and snacks marketed specifically for children.

Organix conducted a survey of parents asking their opinions on how healthy baby food is and what could be changed.

The report found 67 per cent of parents were shocked to discover that some baby and toddler snacks contain up to 30 separate ingredients. Seventy eight per cent were horrified to discover some baby finger foods and toddler snacks contain almost the same level of salt as a regular bag of adult crisps.

Half the parents they quizzed said they struggled to find a brand they trust.

Brighton and Hove parents voiced their concerns that companies are not transparent enough about their ingredients.

Dr Frankie Phillips, a nutrition adviser, said too much salt can damage children’s kidneys.

She added that when children grow up they will develop a preference for food with high salt content.

She said: “Children need a diet low in salt.

“Salty snacks aimed for adults are completely unsuitable for little ones because of the high sodium content, so too are baby finger foods and toddler snacks that contain comparable levels of salt.

“Sodium is naturally present in some foods but adding salt to food provides far higher levels of sodium than a toddler needs.

“Over time, if a baby or toddler is given salty foods they develop a preference for salty tastes and this can lead to eating too much salt, with consequences even for their adult health. There’s no nutritional need to add salt to convenience finger foods and snacks, and neither is it necessary for flavour when herbs, spices and tasty ingredients can be used instead.”