The committee calls for mandatory establishment of safe sodium levels. The food industry big-wigs ™ seem unhappy with this mandate. According to Lori Roman, president of the Salt Institute at Alexandria, Va, a more voluntary salt reduction is welcome. She said, We believe the whole premise, the whole idea of population-wide sodium reduction, is nonsensical. You don't have the federal government prescribe something for an entire population that may have a very small health benefit for a small population of people and may have negative consequences for a small percent of the population. And she also believed that in some cases salt cut down could do more harm than good. But many companies have come forth with a pledge to cut down on the sodium content in their foods. This includes ConAgra Foods ™ effort in 2009, Bumble Bee Foods, General Mills Inc., PepsiCo Inc., Kraft Foods Inc. and Campbell Soup Co.

In reply the supporters of salt cuts in food feel that this measure can not only reduce high blood pressure but also save nearly 100,000 lives each year in the US from heart attacks, strokes and kidney diseases. The IOM report goes on to say that 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends a maximum of 2,300 mg or about 1 teaspoon of sodium to be taken per day with 1,500 mg being enough for an individual. An average American however takes more than 3,400mg or 1.5 teaspoons per day.

The IOM has suggested some measures to bring about this change. They recommend appropriate food labelling with exact amount of sodium on processed food packs as well as in menus of restaurants etc.