About
What it is and where it shows up.
Edible common salt is sodium chloride (NaCl), a naturally occurring mineral used universally as a seasoning and preservative in food. It is also used for curing meat, baking, texture modification, moisture retention, and flavor enhancement.
Safety summary
The regulatory and scientific consensus.
Excess sodium intake is strongly linked to raised blood pressure, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, stroke, kidney disease, and gastric cancer; an estimated 1.89 million deaths per year are associated with overconsumption. The WHO recommends adults consume less than 2,000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to less than 5 g/day of salt), while the US Dietary Guidelines set the limit at 2,300 mg/day of sodium. Individuals with hypertension, kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, and the elderly are especially sensitive and should restrict intake further.
Regulatory landscape
What food-safety regulators have decided.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| JECFA (JECFA (FAO/WHO)) | Restricted | WHO recommends adults consume less than 2,000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to <5 g/day of salt, approximately one teaspoon). For children aged 2–15 years, WHO recommends adjusting the adult dose downward based on energy requirements. The global mean adult intake of ~4,310 mg/day sodium is more than double the WHO recommendation.source |
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | Sodium chloride is not assigned an E-number and is not regulated as a food additive in the EU; it is considered a basic food ingredient. EFSA has published Dietary Reference Values for sodium and chloride (EFSA NDA Panel, 2019); no formal ADI is established. EFSA recommes limiting sodium intake to reduce cardiovascular and gastric cancer risk.source |
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Approved | Regulated under sub-regulation 2.9.30 of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. Edible salt must contain a minimum of 97% sodium chloride on a dry weight basis (98% when nutrient sources in encapsulated form are used for fortification). No numerical ADI is set; iodisation of salt is regulated under FSSAI Fortification Regulations 2018.source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Approved | Listed as GRAS (21 CFR 184.1634) with no quantity limit as an additive. The US Dietary Guidelines 2020-2025, aligned with FDA, recommend limiting sodium to <2,300 mg/day (≈5,750 mg NaCl/day) for individuals aged 14 and older. FDA has issued voluntary sodium reduction goals for food manufacturers but these are non-binding. |
Who should approach with care
Whose guidance would steer them away.
Hypertension — High sodium intake directly raises blood pressure in hypertensive individuals, significantly increasing their risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure, per FDA and WHO guidance.
Kidney Disease — Impaired kidneys cannot efficiently excrete excess sodium, leading to fluid retention, worsening hypertension, and accelerated decline in kidney function; US dietary guidance recommends ≤1,500 mg/day sodium for individuals with CKD.
Heart Disease — Excess sodium intake raises blood pressure and fluid load, increasing the risk of congestive heart failure exacerbations and cardiovascular events, as documented in NCBI/IOM sodium intake reviews.
Elderly — Blood pressure generally rises with age and the kidneys become less efficient at excreting sodium, making older adults more susceptible to the adverse cardiovascular effects of high salt intake, per FDA guidance.
Diabetes — Individuals with diabetes are at elevated risk of cardiovascular and kidney complications, and US dietary guidelines recommend they limit sodium to ≤1,500 mg/day to reduce compounding risk factors.
Research citations
The sources behind this verdict.
- 1FDA. Sodium in Your Diet – FDA Consumer Resource. fda.gov
- 2FDA. Guidance for Industry: Voluntary Sodium Reduction Goals. fda.gov
- 3other. The Regulatory Framework: A Powerful and Adaptable Tool for Sodium Intake Reduction – NCBI Bookshelf (IOM Report). ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 4WHO. Sodium reduction – WHO Fact Sheet, 2025. who.int
- 5PubMed. Revised Reference Values for the Intake of Sodium and Chloride – PMC (Ann Nutr Metab, 2018), 2018. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 6FSSAI. FSSAI Chapter 2.9 – Salt, Spices, Condiments and Related Products (Food Product Standards and Food Additives Regulations, 2011), 2011. fssai.gov.in
Independently researched6 citations