A report by the Institute of Medicine is good advice for Boston residents. Noting that Massachusetts and "The vast majority of the U.S. population is consuming sodium at levels that are simply too high to be safe," the report called on the Food and Drug Administration to mandate maximum levels of sodium in food. While the attorney's at the Law Office of Neil Burns help Boston area residents hurt in car accidents, slip and falls, and other personal injuries, we, at the same time, always strive to help keep Boston and Massachusetts area residents informed of safety tips for healthier lives.
The report also noted that elevated sodium intake contributes to high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease and other health problems. Thus, it recommended that a federal effort to cut salt in the food people eat could prevent 100,000 deaths a year. Salt is currently considered a safe food ingredient, and there is no limit to how much of it companies can put into their products.
The report, commissioned by Congress to evaluate strategies for reducing sodium intake, recommended that the Food and Drug Administration use its regulatory powers to declare that sodium above a certain level is unsafe, which could eventually bar companies from selling foods containing elevated levels of salt.
But because people's palates are used to today's salty foods, the report said, the agency should order gradual reductions over time, to eventually reach healthier levels once tastes and preferences have adjusted. The study said research should be done to determine the appropriate level of salt for different types of food items. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration acknowledged in a statement that excessive salt intake was a serious problem and said it would work with the food industry to seek possible reductions in sodium.
