FDA-issued sodium targets yield no apparent impact

In 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Phase I voluntary sodium reduction targets to encourage manufacturers to lower the amount of sodium in packaged food products by 2024. The targets appear to have had minimal impact, according to a study comparing the sodium content of new products introduced before and after the guidance was issued.

“Our findings suggest that sodium content in newly introduced products did not decrease across nine packaged food categories contributing to most dietary sodium in the U.S., and even increased in four categories, despite the voluntary targets issued by the FDA,” said Kenny Kusnadi, MSPH, a graduate student researcher in the Department of International Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the study’s first author. “These findings suggest that the food industry is not incorporating the sodium targets into new product development and innovation.”

Kusnadi will present the findings at NUTRITION 2026, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, held July 25–28 in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C.

Why voluntary targets fell short

Excess sodium consumption is among the leading drivers of hypertension and raises the risk of stroke, heart attacks and heart failure. Studies have shown that most Americans consume far more than the recommended upper limit of 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, equivalent to about a teaspoon of table salt.

Since most of the sodium we consume comes from packaged and restaurant foods—rather than salt added at the table or while cooking at home—health officials issued the voluntary guidance as a way to reduce the population’s sodium consumption by encouraging reformulation in packaged foods.

No drop in new products

Researchers analyzed the sodium content listed on the Nutrition Facts label of packaged food products introduced in the United States from 2015–2025 (six years before and four years after the voluntary guidance was issued in 2021). They examined the sodium content of foods across nine major sodium-contributing categories: breads and bread products, pizzas, sandwiches/wraps, meat products, corn-based snacks, potato snacks, popcorn, dry soups and wet soups.

Across all nine categories combined, sodium content did not differ between products introduced before and after 2021. In fact, sodium levels were higher in products introduced after 2021 in four categories: dry soups, popcorn, bread and bread products, and corn-based snacks.

Limits of the market snapshot

“These findings add to a substantial body of evidence that voluntary, nonbinding targets are a less effective approach to meaningfully reducing the sodium content of the food supply,” said Matti Marklund, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of International Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the study’s senior author. “The available evidence, including our analysis, suggests that future efforts need stronger accountability mechanisms, such as mandatory sodium targets with financial consequences for noncompliance.”

The study focused on products newly introduced to the U.S. market, based on data from the Mintel Global New Product Database, which includes packaged food products sold in supermarkets and top retail channels that are newly introduced or have had changes to formulation or packaging. While the study methodology is well-suited for evaluating industry trends, it does not capture the totality of all products on shelves and does not assess individuals’ sodium intake, which may help show a more complete picture of the success of sodium reduction efforts.

Stronger policy still needed

Consumers can reduce their sodium intake by cooking at home, relying less on prepared and packaged foods, and reading nutrition labels to choose products lower in sodium. While such measures can help individuals reduce their sodium intake, the researchers said strong policies are needed to lower population sodium consumption and meaningfully reduce the related burden of hypertension, stroke and heart disease in the United States. The FDA introduced Phase II sodium reduction targets in August 2024 and is expected to issue a formal evaluation of the Phase I targets later this year.

Who’s behind this story?

See also  Socioeconomic status can influence genetic risk for many complex diseases

Swati Mestri

Swati Mestri holds a bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering and has worked as a content editor since 2019. She has experience editing research documents across technology, health care, and materials science, and has a particular interest in technology and space.

Full profile →

Robert Egan

Bachelor’s in mathematical biology, Master’s in creative writing. Well-traveled with unique perspectives on science and language.

Full profile →