Last week the US FDA issued final guidance that provides voluntary guidance for short-term sodium reduction targets for 163 categories of packaged and prepared foods. Many of these targets were published in draft form in 2016. The guidance seeks to decrease average sodium intake 3,400 mg to 3,000 mg per day over the next two and a half years. This represents approximately a 12% sodium reduction but still exceeds the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended limit of 2,300 mg of sodium per day for those aged fourteen and older. FDA wants to partner with the food industry to meet modest short-term sodium reduction goals first so that consumer tastes broadly adjust. This voluntary gradual approach has been successful in other countries including Canada. Currently, Americans consume about 70% of their sodium from packaged, processed, and / or restaurant foods.

Questions about health and regulations? Contact us.

Picture Credit Susanne Kuehne

Posted on 20 October 2021