US tighten salt restrictions

Nutrition & Food Science

ISSN: 0034-6659

Article publication date: 23 May 2008

63

Citation

(2008), "US tighten salt restrictions", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 38 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2008.01738cab.019

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


US tighten salt restrictions

Article Type: Food Facts From: Nutrition & Food Science, Volume 38, Issue 3.

The Food and Drug Administration could tighten up salt restrictions in food products in the USA following a debate. Its first public hearing is being held to determine whether salt levels should be lowered in processed foods. Dr Stephen Havas, vice president for science and public health at the American Medical Association, commented that consumers should not tolerate so many deaths from food. "Clearly, salt should be considered generally recognised as dangerous, not safe", he told Reuters. He added: "Americans don't consume large amounts of salt because they request it, but often do so unknowingly because manufacturers and restaurants put it in".

Recent research from the Consensus Action on Salt and Health tested four big fast food restaurants in the UK and recorded the salt levels in a family meal from the venue. It was discovered that a particular meal combination from Pizza Hut contained four times the daily-recommended limit of salt for a six-year-old.

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