Newswise — The not-for-profit, international scientific society Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) recognizes the recommendations on sodium intake offered this week by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies can be expected to have a positive impact, when fully implemented, on the health of a substantial portion of Americans who suffer from elevated blood pressure.
Very substantial reductions are being called for in sodium consumption. IFT supports the call to further food research to determine additional technologies for reducing sodium levels in processed products while maintaining their safety and quality.
"Moderating sodium intake as part of a healthy diet regimen is sound advice which may reduce the risk of elevated blood pressure," Roger Clemens, Ph.D., a nutritional biochemistry expert with the Institute of Food Technologists and adjunct professor with the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy. "By paying more attention to the Nutrition Facts Label included on all processed foods, individuals whose hypertension is affected by sodium can begin to take control over their sodium intake."
While consumption habits and food product choices have changed considerably in recent decades, the rate of salt intake by the U.S. consumer has not altered substantially over the past 25 years. It should be noted that food science advancements have led to the development of many salt-free and reduced-sodium products now readily available.
Sodium can be added to food for reasons beyond taste. Sodium in the form of salt and salt brine often serves as an important antimicrobial agent, and sodium can be necessary to achieve desired fermentation or texture in some products and leavening in others.
Founded in 1939, and with world headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, USA, the Institute of Food Technologists is a not-for-profit international scientific society with 28,000 members working in food science, technology and related professions in industry, academia and government. As the society for food science and technology, IFT brings sound science to the public discussion of food issues. For more on IFT, see http://www.ift.org
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