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US FDA Finalizes Short-Term Sodium Reduction Goals

Oct. 26 2021

The US FDA finalized the voluntary short-term (2.5 year) sodium reduction guidance document, outlining sodium reduction goals for a variety of processed, packaged, and prepared food products. 

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued the final guidance outlining voluntary short-term (2.5 year) sodium reduction goals for a variety of processed, packaged, and prepared foods. The short-term goals seek to reduce the average daily sodium intake from approximately 3,400 mg to 3,000 mg, while this is still above the recommended limit of 2,300 mg per day, it is a 12% reduction. 

The FDA plans to “issue revised, subsequent targets to further lower the sodium content incrementally and continue to help reduce sodium intake.” This will hopefully allow consumers’ tastes to adjust to the changes, while still improving health outcomes. 

The FDA has not yet finalized the long-term (10 year) sodium reduction goals. Instead, “the agency will continue its dialogue with industry, monitor and evaluate progress in achieving the short-term targets and expects to issue revised subsequent targets in a few years and continue a gradual, iterative process to reduce sodium intake.” 

Link to Constituent Update: 
https://www.fda.gov/food/cfsan-constituent-updates/fda-issues-sodium-reduction-final-guidance 

Link to Guidance for Industry: Voluntary Sodium Reduction Goals:
https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/guidance-industry-voluntary-sodium-reduction-goals 

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