The proposal is intended to provide more flexibility for foods with standards of identity where salt is a required or optional ingredient, and “facilitate industry innovation to reduce sodium in standardized foods,” the agency stated.
US adults are advised to consume no more than 2,300mg of salt per day (the equivalent of 1 teaspoon), according to 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines, an amount that is easy to surpass thanks to the high levels of sodium in many processed and packaged food,...
While many consumers may be aware of the drawbacks of a high sodium diet, fewer are actively reducing their sodium intake and believe it is the responsibility of food manufacturers to provide products that are both flavorful and low in sodium, presenting...
As approximately 90% of Americans struggle with keeping their sodium intake in check, new research suggests that glutamates such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) can be used to reduce sodium in the food supply by 7% to 8%.
New research showing that 98% of homes have packaged food that exceeds the recommended amount of sodium, despite drastic reductions in the last 15 years, should be a wake-up call for manufacturers to cut back on the mineral even more and for consumers...
FDA should ‘expedite evaluation’ of NuTek potassium salt petition, says GMA
Two years isn’t enough time for food manufacturers to make the kind of reductions in sodium that the FDA is asking for, says the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), which also urges the agency to tweak the wording of its guidance in order to avoid...
Five years ago, all-natural credentials, premium packaging and culinary-inspired flavors were novel territory for jerky. Today, they are simply de-rigueur, and enterprising brands must find new ways to stay ahead of the game, says Field Trip Jerky, which...
FDA: We are eveloping draft voluntary targets for sodium reduction
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is suing the FDA in a bid to compel it to respond to a 2005 petition requesting that it revoke the GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status of salt and treat it as a food additive under the law.
Advances in technology can help firms more quickly and easily reduce sodium in breads and grain-based packaged foods – a previously repetitive and expensive trial and error process, according to Janice Johnson, food applications leader in salt at Cargill.
The American Heart Association says its recently launched consumer education campaign encouraging Americans to “break up with excess salt” seeks to “build an army of passionate and willing supporters” to pressure food manufacturers to reduce sodium in...
It is commonly believed that consumption of salty foods increases thirst, and could be a reason for increased consumption of sugary soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. But just how true is this notion?
Four years ago sodium was public enemy #1. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) was calling for the FDA to modify the GRAS status of salt and slash the daily value for sodium to 1,500mg, and the food industry was on high alert. Today, sugar is the new bogeyman,...
As the US Food and Drug Administration prepares to issue voluntary sodium guidelines for food manufacturers and restaurants, US consumers are demonstrating less concern about sodium intake and seeking it out less on labels than in the past, according...
Two leading food industry associations have urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) not to set category-by-category limits for sodium amid rumors that the agency is planning to outline a new sodium reduction strategy this year.
Bakers seeking to meet sodium reduction targets can take hope in new research conducted at Oregon State University that shows that consumers are willing to accept lower-salt breads and, if the reductions are small enough, may not even notice.
Regardless of what they tell you in surveys, many consumers react negatively to ‘low salt/sodium’ messaging on pack, underscoring the need for a stealthy approach to sodium reduction, says Unilever.
Industry efforts to reduce the amount of salt in foods are unlikely to work to reduce salt consumption to levels backed by public health advocates, according to new research that suggests salt intake is regulated by the body’s needs rather than by the...
A new analysis of sodium levels in 480 packaged and restaurant foods over the period 2005-2011 provides further evidence that voluntary approaches to sodium reduction have not delivered the across-the-board reductions required to meet government targets.
If consumers are not demanding lower-sodium products (at least not en masse), and the government does not mandate them, what incentive is there for manufacturers to make the kind of across-the-board reductions needed to deliver a meaningful reduction...
Advertising sodium reduction claims on food labels may increase a consumer’s purchasing intentions, says a new study from Canada that contradicts the industry strategy of ‘stealth’ sodium reduction.
Tate & Lyle has developed several ‘ready-to-use recipes’ helping US firms slash sodium in bread, peanuts and microwave popcorn by using tiny salt ‘microspheres’ which deliver a disproportionately salty taste for their size by maximizing surface area...
Replacing salt with naturally brewed soy sauce could slash sodium levels in certain products by up to a third, whilst still retaining long term consumer liking, say researchers.
Adding salty smells to food products could help industry reduce sodium levels by up to 25% without affecting the overall taste profile, say researchers.
Big interview: Karl Kramer, president, innovation and commercial development, Tate & Lyle
What’s in Tate & Lyle’s innovation pipeline? That’s top secret, says Karl Kramer, “but we are working on some completely new, completely novel ingredients and exciting technologies. We’re not interested in me-too products.”
A prominent US researcher says that government pressure to cut sodium in cheese could have serious food safety, taste and labeling consequences, and questions the necessity of such a move given minimal evidence of positive health effects and muted consumer...
Suggestions by the Salt Association and other industry associations that sodium reductions could hurt rather than improve health are “not supported by science”, the American Heart Association (AHA) has insisted.
Nine out of ten Americans eat too much sodium, and bread and rolls are the biggest problem, rather than salty snacks, according to the latest Vital Signs report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Reducing sodium is expensive and difficult, and many bakers are beginning to wonder whether it is worth investing millions into reformulating products that consumers do not want to buy, according to the Association of Bakers (ABA).
A new salt replacement technique could help to reduce the levels of sodium in already desalted cod by up to 50%, with no effect on the sensory properties of the fish, report researchers.
Low sodium diets may reduce blood pressure – but could also increase other risk factors for heart disease, according to a review of 167 studies published in the journal Cochrane Library and the American Journal of Hypertension.
‘Arbitrary’ and ‘capricious’ government sodium targets should be scrapped, immediately, along with “all legislative or regulatory actions based on them” unless officials can produce hard evidence that they are based on sound scientific evidence, the Salt...
The fact that most Americans still don’t know how much sodium they should eat, are unaware of how much they actually eat, or simply aren’t bothered either way, suggests communication strategies need an overhaul if the sodium reduction message is to get...
Campbell Soup has reiterated its commitment to sodium reduction following its high-profile move to add some salt back into its Select Harvest soup range.
It’s enraged dieticians and delighted the Salt Institute. But Campbell Soup’s high-profile u-turn on sodium raises some difficult questions about reformulation for all stakeholders.
Morton Salt has said it will serve as North American distributor for K+S Group’s potassium chloride ingredient Kalisel, expanding its range of sodium reduction ingredients.
When it comes to potassium bicarbonate, size matters, according to UK firm Kudos Blends, which has come up with a highly innovative solution to sodium reduction for cakes, pancakes and biscuits.
The food industry is equipped to achieve realistic sodium reduction goals, but formulators must think about sodium not salt to have a greater likelihood of success, says Cargill’s salt application leader.
Learning from current salt reduction strategies may help to produce a better framework for developing future initiatives, according to a global review of current methods.
Beta-glucan could be used to partially replace salt while retaining taste and texture in high pressure processing of chicken breast meat, according to a new study in Food Chemistry.
The United States lists sodium on nutrition labels while salt is more common in the European Union. Salt and sodium are not the same, and a standardized term would only cause confusion.
Let’s hear it for compromise. It’s not often that a middle-ground solution is championed, but the National Salt Reduction Initiative is gaining support precisely because it has not strong-armed anyone into action.
In order to cut sodium from American diets food manufacturers must work in unison to reduce sodium in their products – and their efforts have gained momentum, according to major industry players.
New research suggests that reductions in the sodium content of dairy foods may be more noticeable in simpler products and require appropriate labelling to be acceptable to consumer taste buds.
Certain sea salts with high salty flavour intensity or lower sodium content may be used to lower sodium levels in food formulations, according to new research.
Imitation cheese with 60 per cent less sodium may be just as accepted in terms of sensory and functional properties compared to full salt versions, according to new research.
