IFT Supports Sodium Reduction Initiative

WASHINGTONThe Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has pledged to help the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) meet the challenges of reducing the amount of sodium in foods.

Significant progress has been made in reformulating food products, but considerable challenges remain, said IFT President Marianne Gillette. Food manufacturers must balance the multiple functions of sodium in food in addition to taste. Changing the sodium content in food impacts microbiological safety, flavor balance and quality, texture, mouthfeel, preservation, color and nutritional properties of a product. Today, there is no single ideal substitute for all the functional properties that sodium chloride provides in foods.

There continues to be a need for additional scientific research as noted by the Institute of Medicine in its recently issued report titled Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States. IFT agrees with the research needs identified by the IOM committee, in particular the need to develop innovative methods to reduce sodium in foods while maintaining palatability, physical properties and safety. In addition, there is a critical need to identify outcome-based public health metrics that are expected to result from any broad-based reduction in sodium in foods.

Sodium reduction is only one part of the equation when it comes to improving overall health. There also continues to be a great need to focus on the quality of overall diet and lifestyle to enable consumers to achieve wellness, Gillette said.