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 In their second edition of the draft guidance, according to Food and Beverage Insider, the FDA points out that more than 70% of sodium intake is added during commercial food preparation and manufacturing.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 salt 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.
The agency doesn’t offer any recommended methods for reducing sodium. Instead, they leave the burden on the 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. However, the FDA does offer goals for sodium reduction in 163 food categories.
By reducing sodium in stages, the FDA hopes that consumer preferences and expectations 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 the FDA has reviewed the 2024 data. Still, preliminary results are promising. Among packaged foods, more than 60% of the categories decreased in salt. 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.