On June 1, 2016, FDA issued a draft guidance that provides voluntary sodium
reduction targets for the food industry. The draft proposes to set
a short-term and a long-term target to reduce sodium content in 150
categories of food, such as snacks, sandwiches, bakery products,
fruits, vegetables, and legumes. The guidance seeks to decrease
people's sodium intake to about 3,000 mg per day in two years,
and to 2,300 mg in a longer, 10-year period. The current intake of
sodium in the United States is 3,400 mg per day (50 percent more
sodium than what most experts recommend). Seventy-five percent of
that sodium intake comes from processed and commercially prepared
(e.g., restaurant) foods. With the goal of reducing the rate of
hypertension and a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke,
FDA is asking the food industry, especially major food
manufacturers and food chains, to comment on FDA's suggested
food categories, methods for quantifying sodium content and
developing recommended targets, and challenges of implementing the
voluntary goals. FDA seeks to gradually reduce the intake of sodium
without affecting consumer preferences and expectations of
saltiness in foods, and without affecting the nutritional quality
of foods by modifying other nutrient levels, such as added sugars
or saturated fat, to less-healthy levels. Although comments are
accepted at any time, to ensure that the agency considers comments
on this draft guidance before it begins work on the final version
of the guidance, comments must be submitted within 90 days (by
August 31, 2016) for the short-term target and within 150 days (by
October 31, 2016) for the long-term. FDA will hold a webinar on the final rule on June 21,
2016.
Additionally, FDA responded on the same day to a 2005 Center for
Science in the Public Interest ("CSPI") citizen petition regarding revisions to the
regulatory status of salt. CSPI requested that FDA: (i) revoke the
GRAS status of salt; (ii) amend any prior sanctions for salt; (iii)
require food manufacturers to reduce the amount of sodium in all
processed foods; (iv) require health messages on packages of salt
one-half ounce or larger; and (v) reduce the Daily Value for sodium
from its current level of 2,400 mg to 1,500 mg. FDA denied the
petition, explaining its view that the voluntary guidelines are
"the most effective and appropriate approach at this time
based on the scientific and technical information currently
available...."
Finally, on May 26, 2016, a New York state appeals court lifted a stay on New York City's salt warning rule. The
rule, which is now enforceable, requires chain restaurants in New
York with at least 15 locations nationwide to place the image of a
salt shaker in a black triangle next to items on their menu with
more than 2,300 mg of sodium.
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