Most Americans exceed the recommended limit for sodium in their diet, a risk factor for hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Efforts have been made by the food industry and government agencies to reduce the sodium content in foods and encourage the consumption of lower sodium diets. Such efforts, however, are not successful in improving public health when consumers do not accept and consume lower sodium foods. This review article provides an overview of the strategies that have been used by the US food industry to reduce and replace sodium in consumer packaged goods, as well as future sodium reduction strategies and approaches for replacing sodium with potassium salts. Challenges in consumer acceptance regarding the reduction of sodium in foods are also discussed. Because of the widespread consumption of numerous sodium-containing consumer packaged goods, implementing future strategies in various aspects of salt reduction and potassium replacement in foods should have a profound impact on the health of Americans.
This research was supported by IAFNS Sodium in Foods & Health Implications Committee