October 22, 2007

FDA Announces Public Hearing on Salt in Food

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has scheduled a Public Hearing addressing the agency's policies regarding salt and sodium in food on November 29, 2007, at the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition's Harvey W. Wiley Building in College Park, Maryland. Formal notice of the Hearing is currently on display and will publish in the Federal Register on October 23, 2007.

The purpose of the Hearing is to share FDA's current policies regarding salt and sodium, and solicit comments about potential future regulatory approaches, including approaches described in a citizen's petition submitted to FDA by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). The CSPI petition requests the agency to make changes in the regulatory status of salt, require limits on the amount of salt in processed foods, and require health messages related to salt and sodium in food products. The Federal Register Notice will also announce the availability for comment of this CSPI petition.

The Hearing will include presentations by agency scientists, invited speakers and members of the public. For additional information, Notice of Display is posted at 72 FR 59973.