FDA Seeks to Allow Salt Substitutes in Everyday Foods

FDA Seeks to Allow Salt Substitutes in Everyday Foods
A packet of table salt in an illustration following the Food and Drug Administration's new guidelines for sodium intake in the Manhattan borough of New York on Oct. 13, 2021. Carlo Allegri/Illustration/Reuters
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday said it was proposing a rule to allow the use of salt substitutes in everyday foods including cheese, frozen peas, and canned tuna, in a bid to cut Americans’ salt consumption.

The FDA had in 2021 set a new voluntary goal for manufacturers and chain restaurants to cut salt levels by an average of 12 percent in packaged foods, because excessive salt consumption has been linked to high blood pressure, a leading cause of heart attack and stroke.