What “reduced sodium” means on a food label
The words below are the regulation's own. They are quoted exactly from the United States Code of Federal Regulations.
The definition
The terms “reduced sodium,” “reduced in sodium,” “sodium reduced,” “less sodium,” “lower sodium,” or “lower in sodium” may be used on the label or in labeling of foods, except meal products as defined in § 101.13(l) and main dish products as defined in § 101.13(m), provided that:
The food contains at least 25 percent less sodium per reference amount customarily consumed than an appropriate reference food as described in § 101.13(j)(1).
Claims described in paragraph (b)(6) of this section may not be made on the label or in the labeling of a food if the nutrient content of the reference food meets the definition for “low sodium.”
Plain facts about this rule
This definition compares the food with another food, called the reference food. It is a separate definition from “low sodium”, which has its own page.
The amount of sodium in a serving is the figure printed on the pack's Nutrition Facts label.
Paragraph (b)(6)(ii) says what the label must state about the reference food. Paragraph (b)(7) gives the rule for meal products and main dish products, per 100 g. Both are in the full text at the source.
Several definitions use the phrase "reference amount customarily consumed". It has its own page.
Source
- Text used:
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), Title 21, Part 101, as in force on 6 October 2026
- Checked on:
- 11 October 2026