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Food companies are coming under renewed pressure to use less salt after U.S. regulators spelled out long-awaited guidelines aimed at reducing sodium levels in dozens of foods including condiments, cereals, french fries and potato chips. The voluntary goals finalized Wednesday for 163 food categories are intended to help lower the amount of salt people eat. A majority of the sodium in U.S. diets comes from packaged or restaurant foods -- not the salt added to meals at home -- making it hard for people to make changes on their own. (Choi, 10/13)

The Food and Drug Administration is asking food manufacturers and restaurants to cut the salt in their products over the coming 2½ years, hoping to reduce Americans' overall sodium intake by 12 percent. The sweeping recommendation, announced Wednesday, is expected to cover a wide variety of foods — from chain restaurant meals to processed food on grocery store shelves and even baby food. (Edwards, 10/13)

It's an incremental step, as the agency hopes to see even deeper cuts in years to come, but reducing sodium consumption even this much could have big public health benefits, says the FDA's acting commissioner, Dr. Janet Woodcock. "Too much sodium is making people sick. It's leading to hypertension, and that causes both heart disease, strokes and even kidney damage, and it's preventable," Woodcock told NPR in an interview. (Aubrey, 10/13)