The United Nations agency now recommends that people consume no more than 5g of salt per day by 2025 -- that is less than a teaspoon of salt, which could be a tall order for people who eat a lot of processed and packaged foods.
Nestlé announced that consumers can expect to see salt reductions by 10% in hundreds of products, including soups, noodles, frozen meals and pizzas, over the next three years.
The Swiss-based company began reducing salt in some of its products in 2005, and it announced that it is already using 15% less salt in Stouffer's Mac & Cheese in the U.S., 25% less salt in Maggi noodles in Brazil, and 20% less salt in Buitoni frozen pizzas in France.
"We have made great strides in reducing the salt content of our food products in recent years and we want to build on that progress," Henri-Pierre Lenoble, manager of nutrition, health and wellness at Nestlé Food, said in a statement. "Our goal is to offer consumers products that enable them to make practical, healthy nutritional choices."