No more stealth? Speaking out on sodium reduction
Rosalyn O'Hearn said that Nestle Prepared Foods has been cutting sodium behind the scenes for some time - but it wanted to gauge consumer reaction before going public with its reduction strategy. She said that consumer tastes are gradually changing to prefer lower sodium products, as food companies' efforts to stealthily reduce sodium have allowed their palates to adjust.
Pressure on food manufacturers to reduce sodium is likely to intensify with the release of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are expected to include an upper recommendation of 1,500mg of sodium a day, as opposed to the current 2,300mg limit. O'Hearn said that the guidelines provide important information for food manufacturers and are likely to influence product development, but consumer acceptance is still key, and Nestle will continue to focus on meeting consumer demands.
