Headlines & features

American Meat Institute Director of Scientific Affairs Betsy Booren told MeatInternational.com that the IOM report on salt issued last week ignores the complexity of the issue.

FDA has been studying outside recommendations that it revoke the GRAS status of salt, reports OpenMarket.org , for 30 years, but the agency's statement that not much has changed ignores evidence that the agency is trying to overcome scientific doubts about its preferred policy outcome.

While most of the news media are focused on the "bad news" of the West Virginia coal mine disaster last year, local media in New Iberia, LA carry the "good news" story of the annual MSHA-sponsored mine rescue team competition , part of the mining industry's preparation to respond to dangerous underground situations.

"For years, Americans have been advised to consume less sodium, and they've taken that advice with a grain of salt" began the cover story for USA Today .

Calls for general population salt reduction ignore the fact that women average 1,200 mg/day lower sodium than men and cutting salt puts them at risk for hyponatremia, opines Salt Institute technical director Morton Satin in USA Today.

For decades, salt indulgers have been peppered with studies showing that the popular condiment contributes to high blood pressure and a concomitant increase in the risk of heart disease and stroke. Read more....

Sixteen food companies plan to cut the amount of salt in bacon, flavored rice and dozens of other products as part of a national effort to reduce American's sodium consumption by 20 percent. Click to read more.

Twenty-five years ago, more than three-fourths of Americans were concerned about dietary salt. That level has steadily declined to less than three in ten today, NPD Group announced April 23.

Although the level of sodium concern is not as high as two decades ago, concern has risen in recent years, but the number consuming low-sodium/sodium-free foods has steadily decreased, according to NPD’s National Eating Trends® , which has continually tracked Americans’ eating behaviors for the last 30 years.

"Take all those health warnings about table salt with a pinch of salt. The evidence that our current levels of salt consumption do more harm than good for human health has little weight, any which way you look at it," opines Lawrence Solomon in the Financial Post .

"A story in today's Washington Post leaves a mistaken impression that the FDA has begun the process of regulating the amount of sodium in foods. The FDA is not currently working on regulations nor has it made a decision to regulate sodium content in foods at this time," points out Medical News Today .