In the June 2, 2016, Federal Register, FDA announced
the availability of a draft guidance for industry titled " Voluntary Sodium Reduction Goals: Target Mean and
Upper Bound Concentrations for Sodium in Commercially Processed,
Packaged, and Prepared Foods." The draft guidance, when
finalized, seeks to help Americans achieve the Dietary Guidelines-recommended sodium levels
(less than or equal to 2,300 mg of sodium per day) by encouraging
food manufacturers, restaurants, and food service operations to
reduce sodium in processed, packaged, and prepared foods. The draft
guidance identifies both short-term (upper bound) and long-term
(sales-weighted target mean and upper bound) sodium level goals
that, once finalized, will allow both FDA and the food industry to
have a common system for defining and measuring progress in
reducing sodium in the food supply. The goals are intended to
address the excessive intake of sodium in the current population
and promote improvements in public health. Comments on
Issues 1-4 of Section IV of the draft guidance are due August 31,
2016. Comments on Issues 5-8 of Section IV are due October 31,
2016.
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