The new FDA guidance to the food industry recommending the use of the name “potassium salt” in the ingredient labeling statement as an alternative to the common name “potassium chloride“.

This new FDA recommendation is associated with the high sodium intake data of the U.S. population. The average sodium intake per American is 3,400 mg/day, 50% more than the recommended intake (2,300 mg/day). If we compare this data with the average potassium intake (3,000 mg/day), it is below the recommended intake (4,700 mg/day). The latter is one of the reasons why the FDA recommends the use of the name “potassium salt“, to familiarize the consumer with the name and encourage the use of potassium chloride as a substitute for sodium chloride by the food industry.