IAFNS Announces Webinar Series on Roles of Sodium

Washington, D.C. — Examining new technologies, science and efforts to address the many roles of sodium in foods is the focus of a series of seven upcoming webinars hosted by the Institute of the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences (IAFNS).

The seven free webinars — and an invitation-only expert convening at the culmination of the series — is part of a broad IAFNS effort to promote understanding of what’s new about the roles of sodium in diet, health, consumer preferences, food safety and quality.

Between Jan. 22-31, IAFNS will host the series of informative webinars in its Sodium in the Food Supply Webinar Series on the roles of sodium in foods in an effort to share new developments and tools that could enhance efforts across sectors. The expert convening aims to facilitate dialogue and provide clear, realistic and well-informed recommendations for updating public health strategies and resources.

The webinars will focus on how to leverage technology, substitutes, education and monitoring to make public health progress.

Sodium reduction in foods continues to be an important component of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) Nutrition Innovation Strategy with the release in 2021 of its Guidance for Industry: Voluntary Sodium Reduction Goals.

The broader IAFNS effort includes communication with health professionals and the interested public. Mobilizing knowledge by sharing useful information with nonprofits, researchers, consumer groups, industry and government leaders on new innovations in this area is central to the outreach effort.

The webinars are as follows:

• What’s New: Sodium Intake and Public Health Today, Monday, Jan. 22, 1:30-2:30 p.m. ET. Register here.
• Continuous Improvement: What Manufacturers are Doing to Reduce Sodium in Food Products, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET. Register here.
• Lessons Learned: Opportunities and Challenges to Monitoring Sodium in the Food Supply, Wednesday, Jan. 24, 11-12:30 p.m. ET. Register here.
• Effects of Sodium Reduction on Food Safety and Quality, Thursday, Jan. 25, 1-2:30 p.m. ET. Register here.
• Emerging Science and Technologies to Support Sodium Reduction, Friday, Jan. 26, 1:30-3 p.m. ET. Register here.
• Potassium: Benefits of Potassium Substitution for Public Health, Monday, Jan. 29, 2-3 p.m. ET. Register here.
• Why is Cutting Back on Sodium So Hard? Exploring the Sensory Science, Consumer Perceptions and Culinary Solutions, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 11-12:30 p.m. ET. Register here.
  

According to IAFNS Senior Nutrition Program Manager Trish Zecca, the series represents a coordinated, science-based effort that will tap cross-sector expertise to facilitate innovative solutions. “The Sodium in the Food Supply Webinar Series is a check-in on industry progress and the latest research, technology and emerging science that is available for consideration in shaping future progress and public health recommendations,” she said.

IAFNS Executive Director Dr. Wendelyn Jones added, “This series has the potential to identify and help the food sector reach new and more nuanced understandings of the roles of sodium in our diet and our health. Only by grasping the complexity of sodium’s role in foods can we effectively enhance public health.”

The webinars are all approved for Continuing Professional Education Units (CPEU) in accordance with the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s CPEU Prior Approval Program. CDR-credentialed attendees can earn up to nine CPEUs for completing all seven webinars in the series.

More information on the series is available here.