FDA's voluntary sodium reduction targets show minimal impact three years after implementation

A study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reveals that the FDA's 2021 voluntary sodium reduction targets had minimal impact on newly introduced packaged foods. Analyzing products from 2015 to 2025, researchers found sodium levels did not decrease across nine major food categories and actually rose in four, including dry soups and popcorn. Experts argue that voluntary, non-binding targets are ineffective and advocate for mandatory standards with financial penalties to combat hypertension and cardiovascular risks.

FDA voluntary sodium reduction targets

• ▪The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to issue a formal evaluation of its Phase I sodium reduction targets later in 2026.
• ▪The U.S. Food and Drug Administration introduced Phase II sodium reduction targets in August 2024.
• ▪The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued Phase I voluntary sodium reduction targets in 2021 to encourage manufacturers to lower sodium in packaged foods by 2024.

Packaged food sodium content trends

• ▪A study analyzing packaged food products introduced in the United States from 2015 to 2025 found that sodium content did not decrease across nine major sodium-contributing categories after the 2021 FDA voluntary targets.
• ▪Sodium levels increased in products introduced after 2021 in four categories: dry soups, popcorn, bread and bread products, and corn-based snacks.

Excess sodium health risks

• ▪Most Americans consume far more than the recommended upper limit of 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.
• ▪Excess sodium consumption is a leading driver of hypertension and increases the risk of stroke, heart attacks, and heart failure.

Voluntary policy effectiveness

• ▪A study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests that the food industry is not incorporating voluntary FDA sodium targets into new product development.
• ▪Researchers state that voluntary, non-binding targets are less effective at reducing the sodium content of the food supply than policies with stronger accountability.

Mandatory sodium regulation proposals

• ▪Researchers state that strong policies, rather than individual consumer actions alone, are needed to lower population sodium consumption and reduce the burden of hypertension, stroke, and heart disease in the United States.
• ▪Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggest that future sodium reduction efforts require stronger accountability mechanisms, such as mandatory sodium targets with financial consequences for non-compliance.

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