FDA issued a draft food industry guide

Recently, the FDA issued a draft food industry guide to reduce the sodium content in processing and convenience foods. The publication of this document was praised by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA).

Susan Mayne, head of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said there is scientific evidence available to support the residents' reduced sodium intake. American Medical Institute experts concluded that daily intake of 2300mg sodium salt can significantly reduce blood pressure in U.S. residents, eventually preventing a large number of early-onset diseases and deaths.

In the draft guideline, the FDA proposed a measurement system to reduce the sodium content of foods, which limits the sodium salt in nearly 150 processed foods and convenience foods. HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell said that many Americans want to reduce the sodium content in their diet, but this idea is almost impossible to achieve in the face of the food provided by a large number of shops and restaurants. Therefore, the document helps consumers to better control their own sodium intake and improve their own health.

Thomas R. Frieden, head of the CDC, believes that people can prevent many diseases through the development of guidelines. It has been estimated that every 400 mg/day reduction in sodium salt intake can prevent 32,000 myocardial infarctions/year and 20,000 strokes/year, and reduce sodium intake by 1,200 mg/day, which may reduce 11 million hypertensive patients. After 10 years, these reductions can prevent about 500,000 deaths and save nearly $100 billion in health care costs.

The document was also supported by the ACC and AHA. Relevant person in charge said that these sodium salt intake targets will stimulate a healthy revolution in food supply, and the realization of these goals also requires the active cooperation of food manufacturers.