On Aug. 15, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) introduced Phase II of its voluntary, three-year sodium reduction targets for the food industry. In their second edition of draft guidance, FDA points out that more than 70% of sodium intake is added during commercial food preparation and manufacturing. For optimum health, 2,300 mg per day of sodium is recommended. Phase II will attempt to bring sodium consumption down to 2,750 mg per day from today’s average intake of 3,400 mg. It’s worth noting that some research suggests sodium’s negative effects have been overstated.
Although the new target may be higher than ideal, the guidance recognizes that product reformulation takes time. The agency doesn’t offer any recommended methods for reducing sodium. Instead, they leave the burden on industry to find salt substitutes. “Experts from the food industry are well-positioned to innovate by exploring combinations of strategies and technologies that are most appropriate for each food category and each food product reformulation while maintaining food safety,” the guidance notes. FDA does, however, offer goals for sodium reduction in 163 food categories.
The initiative began in October 2021 with the intent to meet the set of Phase I objectives by April 2024. By reducing sodium in stages, FDA hopes that consumer preferences and expectation for saltiness in foods will adjust. A brief comparison of Phase I and Phase II short-term targets shows prior and future goals of 100 g servings. Cottage cheese, for example, had an initial target of 340 mg. The new target is 310. Refrigerated pasta would drop from 450 mg to 400 mg. Pesto sauce would fall from 790 mg to 610 mg.
A full review of the program’s success will not be available until FDA has reviewed 2024 data. Still, preliminary results are promising. Among packaged foods, more than 60% of the categories decreased in sodium. Most strides were made in dairy, cereals, meat and poultry, snacks, salads and soups, as well as the fats, oils and dressings category.
FDA is emphasizing sodium reduction as one of its strategies to improve the health of Americans. To encourage consumers to make wholesome dietary choices, the agency has also proposed front-of-package labeling to bring information about sodium, sugar and other critical nutrient levels into immediate view. Such obvious positioning may make creating healthier foods a marketing necessity.
For now, sodium reduction is voluntary. Comments on the draft guidance may be submitted electronically by Nov. 14, 2024.
