More than 90 percent of U.S. children aged 6-18 years eat more sodium than recommended, putting them at risk for developing high blood pressure and heart disease later in life, according to a new CDC Vital Signs report released on Tuesday. 
This report provides the most recent data detailing how much sodium school-age children eat…
FDA Commissioner Promises Guidance to Help Reduce Dietary Sodium
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg is promising in media interviews that new sodium guidance, probably dependent on voluntary compliance by the food industry, is coming soon. The American diet of processed and restaurant foods — not so much the salt shaker on the table — is responsible for our average per-person consumption…
Tracing Food Controversies Back to GRAS
Update: This article has been edited to remove references to caramel coloring. What do trans fat, caffeine and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have in common? Each of these distinct, seemingly unrelated food controversies actually shares a common origin: the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) process. In fact, a wide range of food controversies —…
The Endless Debate About Salt: Don't Worry. Eat (Real) Food
Since 1980, U.S. dietary guidelines have advised eating less sodium (salt is 40% sodium, 60% chloride). Although sodium is an essential nutrient, most Americans consume way more than they need or is good for them—around 3,400 milligrams a day. The 2010 guidelines advised healthy people to consume no more than 2,300 mg per day (~6…
Institute of Medicine: Low Salt Intake May Be Unhealthy
Health experts have long promoted one simple, consistent message when it comes to salt intake: cut back. Now, a review from the Institute of Medicine suggests that a diet too low in sodium may actually be unhealthy for those at risk for heart problems. This conclusion was drawn by a committee designated by IOM tasked…
Recall of Sea Salt Product For Not Listing Milk As Allergen
The San Francisco-based Somersault Snack Co., LLC has recalled some of its Somersaults Pacific Sea Salt (6 oz.) for a packaging mistake. “Limited quantities of Somersaults Santa Fe Salsa flavored product were inadvertently commingled with Somersaults Pacific Sea Salt flavored product in packages labeled as Somersaults Pacific Sea Salt,” the snack firm said. 
“The inadvertent…
Food Processing Trends Underscore Need for Additional Safety
The current trend of minimization in food formulation and processing – such as the reduction of salt levels in products like meat and cheese and milder processing techniques designed to preserve fresh characteristics of products – should trigger a renewed look at food safety measures in the food industry, and might attract the attention of…
Texas Case Puts Light on Rare Danger of Salt Poisoning
Hannah Overton, 34, is serving life without the possibility of parole at the Murray Unit, a maximum-security women’s prison near Waco, Texas.
Her crime: capital murder for salt poisoning by omission or failure to act.
The often-crusading Texas Monthly magazine picks up in its January issue on whether life imprisonment of Hannah Overton for the …
New Study Shakes Medical Advice on Low-Salt Diets
Salt is commonly viewed as the enemy of a healthy diet. However, liberal use of the salt shaker might actually be more of a cure than a curse when it comes to human health, according to new research.
The study, published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), followed health trends…
Campbell Soup, Target Latest to Reduce Salt
Campbell Soup Company and Target Corporation–both giants in the retail food industry—are among the latest companies to join the National Salt Reduction Initiative’s (NSRI) sodium reduction goals.
Camden, NJ-based Campbell Soup is a 142-year old global manufacturer and marketer of soups, sauces, baked snacks, and beverages under such brands as Campbell’s, Pepperidge Farm, Arnott’s and …