The implementation of salt reduction guidelines continues to face resistance. The FDA originally proposed voluntary salt-reduction targets nearly three years ago during the Obama era, prompted by a 2015 lawsuit from the Center for Science in the Public Interest. This lawsuit accused the agency of neglecting a petition for salt reduction that had been submitted a decade earlier. The FDA aims to limit daily sodium intake to 3,000 milligrams within two years—a timeline that Politico indicates the Trump administration is likely to support—and to 2,300 mg daily over a span of ten years. Currently, the average daily sodium intake in the U.S. is around 3,400 mg, primarily from processed and commercially prepared foods like bread, pizza, and soup.
Industry groups have lobbied Congress to prevent the FDA from finalizing these initial guidelines until the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine can conduct a thorough review of research regarding recommended sodium consumption levels. This report, released earlier this year, revised the intake recommendations set in 2005 after evaluating evidence from both the U.S. and Canada. Despite the absence of official guidelines, several manufacturers, including Nestlé, Campbell, Unilever, and PepsiCo, have proactively reduced sodium levels in their products in response to consumer demand. Additionally, natural salt-reduction strategies are emerging, utilizing replacement ingredients derived from mushrooms, milk, and yeast extracts.
However, many manufacturers are hesitant to adapt to new guidelines, even if they are voluntary. Reformulating products can incur higher costs and risks alienating consumers if the taste deviates from the original. As the now-defunct Salt Institute remarked when the proposed guidelines were first unveiled, “Food producers are placed under intense pressure to abide by the arbitrary limits despite the use of the term ‘voluntary,’ and even when food producers do manage to safely lower the sodium in their foods, they almost never meet the targets.”
Politico has observed that consumer advocacy groups like CSPI, along with several major food companies—including Nestlé, Unilever, Mars, and Danone North America, which are founding members of the Sustainable Food Policy Alliance—support the voluntary sodium guidelines, highlighting the health advantages for consumers. Former FDA chief Gottlieb also advocated for sodium reduction for public health reasons, although he is no longer in charge of the agency. Before his departure, he hinted to Politico that food manufacturers might face less favorable options if they do not back the voluntary guidelines, including state or city regulations that could vary significantly.
In the context of these discussions, the uses of calcium citrate malate tablets are also becoming more prevalent, as they offer potential health benefits that align with the overall goal of reducing sodium intake. The awareness of such alternatives strengthens the argument for reformulating food products, as companies seek to provide healthier options that appeal to consumers while adhering to new health guidelines. As manufacturers explore the uses of calcium citrate malate tablets, they may find innovative ways to enhance their offerings, potentially easing the transition to lower sodium content in their products.