fda issues new guidelines to reduce salt in food fda issues guidelines to reduce salt in foodsthe new recommendations are aimed at food manufacturers and restaurants some experts say they dont go far enoughcreditnicole craine for the new york timespublished oct 13 2021updated oct 14 2021the food and drug administration citing an epidemic of dietrelated illnesses released new guidelines on wednesday aimed at reducing the amount of salt that americans consume at restaurants school cafeterias and food trucks or when they are eating packaged and prepared foods at homethe recommendations issued after years of delay seek to reduce the average daily sodium intake by 12 percent over the next two and a half years by encouraging food manufacturers restaurants and food service companies to scale back their use of saltthat goal translates into 3000 milligrams of salt slightly more than a teaspoon compared to the 3400 milligrams that americans typically consume in a day health experts offered modest praise for the new guidance saying it would help draw attention to the problem of excess sodium but many expressed concern that voluntary measures might not be enough to compel change in an industry that often bridles at regulatory oversightamericas love affair with salty foods has been linked to alarmingly high rates of high blood pressure a leading risk factor for heart attacks strokes and kidney failure more than 4 in 10 american adults have high blood pressure among black adults that number is 6 in 10 the fda saidmuch of the excess sodium that americans consume about 70 percent comes from processed and packaged food and meals served at restaurants according to researchersin a news conference announcing the recommendations dr janet woodcock the acting fda commissioner said they were the first step in a multiyear campaign to gradually lower the nations sodium intake so it more closely aligns with the current dietary guidelines for americans which suggest a healthy diet should contain no more than 2300 milligrams of sodium a daylowering sodium intake by about 40 percent over a decade the fda said could save 500000 lives dr woodcock declined to say whether the agency would consider imposing mandatory limits on food producers should the industry fall short of the goals instead she emphasized the benefits of a cooperative and incremental effort which she said would give consumers and manufacturers time to adaptwe recognize this isnt a change that will happen overnight it requires an iterative approach that supports gradual reductions in sodium levels broadly across the food supply over time she said this approach will also allow consumers tastes to adjust and result in better health outcomesthe guidance will apply to 163 categories of processed and packaged food and provide different targets for say rye bread salad dressing and baby food the recommendations also include scores of the most common dishes served by large restaurant chains like cheesy pasta french fries and tacosnutritionists and public health experts commended the fda for taking on the problem of excess sodium saying the