New York City wants less salt in processed, restaurant foods

New York City Department of Health Mental Hygiene issued a set of guidelines to recommend a voluntary salt reduction in packaged and restaurant foods.

The recommendations are based on the city's consultation with health experts and the food industry leaders, the NYC Department of Health said in a statement.

Sixty one categories of packaged food and 25 classes of restaurant food are targeted in the guidelines.  Some foods have already had no more than the recommended salt content.

Americans have intake of twice as much salt as they need and excessive intake of table salt is believed to be one of major risk factors for cardiovascular disease like high blood pressure which lead to high risk of heart attack and stroke, according to the city government.

The city government has already imposed some ban on use of artery clogging trans fat, which some Harvard researchers believe is involved in 100,000 deaths each year, in the city's chain eateries.

The ban announced in Sept 2006 does not mean to completely forbid use of the artery clogging trans fat.  It can tolerate up to 0.5 grams trans fat per serving.  One meal prepared at restaurants would otherwise contain up to 10 grams of the fat.

Also in the New York City, restaurants are required to pose calories on their menus.

The regulation taking effect on July 20, 2008 mandates that restaurants that have 15 or more outlets nationwide to post calorie information alongside their prices.

The proposal on targeted salt reductions is posted at nyc.gov/health/salt.

The NYC recommends daily intake of sodium or Na (not salt which is sodium chloride. One gram of sodium is equal to 2.5 grams of salt) should be 1,500 mg or 3,750 mg of salt for adults who are older than 40 or blacks and 2,300 mg 5,750 mg of salt for other adults.

The goal is to cut intake of salt in the city by about 20 percent in five years.

Many countries have already launched similar initiatives to encourage the food industry and food service industry to reduce salt in food, according to the NYC health department.

The recommendations are voluntary and it remains to be seen whether such as recommendations would work.  Voluntary guidelines on restricted use of trans fat in restaurants have failed earlier.

Salt reduction is something the food industry is working on.  Major food companies like Campbell Soup has been working on the technology for a number of years to cut the use of salt.  Many types of low salt foods are now available.

By Jimmy Downs