Based upon the preponderance of peer-reviewed scientific evidence, the Salt Institute is asking the government to withdraw the recommendations on salt consumption in the Dietary Guidelines because, according to the Salt Institute, they were not formulated through a thorough, unbiased evaluation of available scientific evidence and the misinformation they promulgate is used to justify harmful public policy recommendations.

The Salt Institute is also asking the federal government to stop moving forward on their plan to push "voluntary" sodium reduction in food produced in the U.S. — a plan that will affect almost the entire U.S. food supply and will change the foods that consumers depend on and enjoy. Such a "voluntary" request is essentially a demand because any company that doesn't reduce salt will be pilloried by government, consumer advocates and the media. However, if the health of consumers is negatively influenced through salt reduction (as a great deal of research indicates) the bureaucrats in government will not be held accountable because the request was deemed "voluntary".

Read a letter from Lori Roman, president of the Salt Institute to the Secretaries of the USDA and HHS.