Sodium Reduction Resources for Stakeholders, Product Developers, and Consumers

IFT Symposium & Webcasts

IFT Annual Meeting & Scientific Programs

IFT 2012

Title	Description	Speaker(s)
Late Breaking Session: Stimulating Sodium Reduction Innovations & Overcoming Technological Challenges	Discusses how to maximize technological innovations and overcome technological challenges in a variety of food types and throughout the entire food supply. Provides practical knowledge on how to facilitate consumer acceptance for new or reformulated lower sodium products in restaurant and retail settings. And, from a variety of viewpoints, examines existing and emerging sodium reduction policy initiatives and implications and concerns about unintended consequences for reducing sodium too much, too fast.	John Ruff, Dr. Antonia Mattia, Dr. Mary Ann Drake, Dr. Barbara Davis, Joy Dubost, and Sue Borra

IFT 2011

Title	Description	Speaker(s)
Achieving sodium reduction in the food industry: Psychophysics, sensory approaches, and consumer behavior	This symposium provides an overview of the psychophysics, sensory approaches, and consumer behavior relating to lower sodium products.	Soo Lee
Reducing sodium in foods: Implications for flavor and health	This session provides an overview of the implications for flavor and health in lower sodium foods.	Drs. Chris Loss, Russell Keast, Janice Johnson, and John Hayes

IFT 2010

Title	Description	Speaker(s)
Sodium reduction: Striking the right balance?	Panelists will discuss the opportunities and challenges for creating lower sodium products.	Edward Stricker, Richard Black, and David Schmidt

IFT 2008

Title	Description	Speaker(s)
Minimally processed foods and their safety	The global increase in urban population, often accompanied by busy lifestyles, has resulted in a corresponding increased demand for nutritious and extended shelf-stable foods that offer convenience and variety.	John Larkin, Huub Lelieveld, and Daniel Engeljohn
Sodium reduction in processed meats	Sodium in processed foods is generating significant attention from regulators and consumer groups. Processed meat products have unique challenges in reducing sodium, since salt is involved in more than just flavor.	Jeff Spencer

Food Technology Presents 2008

Title	Description	Speaker(s)
A closer look: In depth perspectives in health claims	Does science clearly substantiate your product claims? Are you exporting products? Understanding health claims can be complicated, especially when selling products internationally. This session will examine the FDA's implementation of "qualified health claims" compared to the European Union's Health Claims Regulations.	Mark Mansour
Tastes too good to be healthy? Sensory-based approaches to product development	It is common to develop a successful initial concept within the health and wellness arena, only to discover that consumers reject it. Traditional product research focuses on blind tasting, but consumers do not typically purchase healthy products for their taste attributes. You will gain a deeper understanding of new paradigms for product development that optimize consumer health and reduce your risk.	David Lundhal, Gail Vance Civille, Gregory Stucky

IFT 2007

Title	Description	Speaker(s)
Healthy aspects of spices and herbs	Spices and herbs have been utilized since biblical times for their flavor as well as physiological effects. Much research in the past few decades has shown that some folklore is grounded in truth.	Krishnapura Srinivasan, Joerg Gruenwald
Salt: Biochemistry of taste perception	The 2005 United States Dietary Guidelines have recommended that the population reduce intakes of sodium. This panel discusses the taste perception challenges to creating commercially viable lower sodium products.	John Desimore
Scientific strategies for health claim	The objective of this symposium is to provide an overview of the key scientific and regulatory requirements for gaining approval of health claims for foods and dietary ingredients.	Diane McColl, Kevin Maki, Ashley Roberts, and Roger Clemens

IFT 2006

Title	Description	Speaker(s)
Antimicrobials (sodium reduction and food safety)	This symposium will discuss the effect of sodium lactate and sodium diacetate on the behavior of Listeria monocytogenes in ham stored at various temperatures.	Claudia Alvarado-Osuna, Yingying Xu, Xiuhua Liang, Blanca Garcia-Almendarez, Cheng-An Hwang, Roberto Chamul

IFT Wellness

Title	Description	Speakers
The 2010 Sodium Reduction Guidelines: Challenges and Opportunities	This session will discuss the research behind the premise that sodium preferences may be lowered at will. You will gain an appreciation for the formulation challenges within this arena, and learn about innovative technologies that reduce the sodium content in foods while maintaining food safety, palatability, and physical properties.	Drs. Adam Drewnowski and Gary K. Beauchamp

IFT Webcasts

Title	Description	Speakers
IFT Webcast: Sodium Reduction: Don’t Forget About Water Activity (May 16, 2012)	Focuses on the impact formulation changes to meet reduced sodium levels can have on water activity..	Dr. Theodore P. Labuza and Dr. Richard M. Black
Implications of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans for the Food Industry (February 11, 2011)	This webcast will discuss the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, and provide an industry perspective on the development of food-based solutions that increase consumers' understanding and adoption of the current guidance.	Drs. Roger Clemens, Richard Black, along with Darren Seifer
Developing Low Sodium Products: Food Safety & Processing Concerns (July 8, 2010)	This webcast will address the many challenges the food industry must address when reducing sodium.	John Ruff, Kathleen Ann Glass, Meredith L Bishop, and Brenda Knapp-Polzin
Reformulating Products to Nutritionally Improve Foods Targeted to Children (March 25, 2010)	During this webcast, you'll hear experts from the marketing, regulatory, food science, and communication arenas discuss case studies that demonstrate how each sector has addressed such challenges.	Adelaide Geik, Elaine Kolish, Dr. Yeonhwa Park, and Dr. Nicholas Rozzi
The Sodium Debate: Pros and Cons (January 8, 2010)	This webcast is made up of a well-respected panel of experts to better understand the issues at the heart of this important debate.	Drs. Roger Clemens and Stephan Havas, along with Mortin Satin and Steven Rubow.
Health Claims: In depth Perspectives (February 27, 2009)	This webcast examines the FDA's implementation of "qualified health claims" versus the European Union's (EU) Health Claims Regulations. Discover the differences and how they will impact the development and marketing of your products.	Mark Mansour and Guy Johnson
Forecasting Sodium Regulations (February 27, 2009)	Two experts will discuss this issue within balanced, evidence-based perspectives, so that you will better understand the sodium dilemma and what legal and regulatory issues may be enacted in the near future.	Dr. Roger A. Clemens and Robert Hahn, Esq.

Other Web-based Resources

Canadian Medical Association Public Health Issue Briefing on Sodiumand the health impact of salt intake on hypertension and cardiovascular disease

Georgetown Law Library Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law Research Guide assists with research in food, drug, and cosmetic law, including relevant regulations in the United States affecting levels of sodium in the food supply.

International Food Information Council Food Insights offers professionals consumer insights relating to sodium reduction and tools for effectively communicating about lower sodium diets.

The United States Department of Agriculture's Nutrition Evidence Library is a resource for making food and nutrition research accessible to all Americans.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are co-leaders of a national initiative aiming to coordinate and enhance cardiovascular disease prevention activities across the public and private sectors in an unprecedented effort to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over five years. This initiative is known as Million Hearts.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration (FDA) documents its sodium reduction action and activities.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Division of Nutrition Research Coordination hosted a Dietary Sodium Mini-Symposiumfocusing on recommendations, evidence, challenges, and applications for clinical guidance on March 9, 2011.

World Salt Awareness strives to convene a global group of stakeholders striving to improve the health of populations throughout the world by achieving a gradual reduction in salt intake.

World Hypertension League provides resources to promote the detection, control, and prevention of arterial hypertension in populations including its World Hypertension Day.

Sodium Reduction Product Development Resources

IFT Comment to FDA/FSIS lists innovations and challenges by sodium chloride function, providing guidance for product developers on sodium reduction.

The 2010 Institute of Medicine Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States Appendix D provides a list of examples of salt substitutes and enhancers.

The United States Dairy Export Council provides guidance on permeate for sodium reduction.

Sodium Reduction Consumers Resources

International Food Information Council offers resources for consumers about healthy eating and sodium reduction, including materials designed specifically for healthy aging and healthy kids and families.

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene offers consumer friendly information and dietary sodium fact sheets on its Cutting Salt, Improving Health webpage.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) MyPlate offers a range of Web-based consumer friendly information on meeting the Dietary Guidelines, including ways to consume lower sodium diets. The USDA also sets forth the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which provides evidence-based nutritional guidance to promote health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity through improved nutrition and physical activity.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides consumer information on reducing sodium intake including tips to cut back and what consumers can do to consume less sodium.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vital Signs Where's the Sodium? provides consumer friendly information about dietary sodium and its association with heart diseases. CDC also posts consumer friendly resources to its salt webpage.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are co-leaders of a national initiative aiming to coordinate and enhance cardiovascular disease prevention activities across the public and private sectors in an unprecedented effort to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over five years. Known as Million Hearts, the initiative encourages to Be One in a Million Hearts and provides a variety of consumer friendly information to encourage dietary sodium reduction.

World Action on Salt and Health (WASH) offers consumer friendly information and fact sheets, designed to meet the needs of different age and ethnic groups.