U.S. · Food labeling · 21 CFR 101.61
Low sodium claim rules.
21 CFR 101.61 defines sodium free (under 5 mg), very low sodium (35 mg or less), low sodium (140 mg or less) and reduced sodium (25 percent less).
Under 21 CFR 101.61, a food can be called "low sodium" only if it has 140 mg or less sodium per reference amount customarily consumed (and, when the reference amount is 30 g or 2 tablespoons or less, 140 mg or less per 50 g too). "Very low sodium" is 35 mg or less, "sodium free" is under 5 mg per reference amount and per labeled serving, and "reduced sodium" means at least 25 percent less sodium than an appropriate reference food.
Test the numbers against 101.61(b)
Result
What 101.61 does
Section 101.61 of the food labeling regulations says when a label may talk about sodium or salt. Its general rule in (a) is that a sodium or salt claim may be made "only if" three things hold: the claim uses one of the terms defined in the section in accordance with that definition; it is made in accordance with the general requirements for nutrient content claims in 101.13; and the food is labeled in accordance with 101.9, 101.10 or 101.36, as applicable. The text here is the eCFR version current through October 29, 2026. Most of the work in the section is the definitions in (b) and the "salt" rules in (c).
The defined terms and thresholds
| Terms the section lists | What the food must meet | Paragraph |
|---|---|---|
| sodium free, free of sodium, no sodium, zero sodium, without sodium, trivial / negligible / dietary insignificant source of sodium | Less than 5 mg sodium per RACC and per labeled serving (meal and main dish products: less than 5 mg per labeled serving) | (b)(1) |
| very low sodium, very low in sodium | 35 mg or less per RACC. If the RACC is 30 g or less (or 2 tablespoons or less), 35 mg or less per RACC and per 50 g | (b)(2) |
| low sodium, low in sodium, little sodium, contains a small amount of sodium, low source of sodium | 140 mg or less per RACC. If the RACC is 30 g or less (or 2 tablespoons or less), 140 mg or less per RACC and per 50 g | (b)(4) |
| reduced sodium, reduced in sodium, sodium reduced, less sodium, lower sodium, lower in sodium | At least 25 percent less sodium per RACC than an appropriate reference food | (b)(6) |
Meal products and main dish products (defined in 101.13(l) and (m)) use a per 100 g test instead: 35 mg or less per 100 g for the "very low" terms (b)(3) and 140 mg or less per 100 g for the "low" terms (b)(5). For reduced claims on those products the food needs at least 25 percent less sodium per 100 g (b)(7).
Extra conditions that travel with each tier
- Sodium free: no ingredient that is sodium chloride or is generally understood by consumers to contain sodium, unless the ingredient listing is followed by an asterisk and a statement below the list such as "Adds a trivial amount of sodium" (b)(1)(ii).
- Naturally low foods: if the food meets the condition without special processing, alteration, formulation or reformulation, it must be labeled to say that sodium is not usually present, or to refer to all foods of its type and not merely the brand, for example "leaf lettuce, a sodium free food" or "fresh spinach, a low sodium food" (b)(1)(iii), (b)(2)(ii), (b)(4)(ii).
- Reduced sodium: the reference food and the percent difference must be declared in immediate proximity to the most prominent claim, and quantitative information such as "Sodium content has been lowered from 300 to 150 mg per serving." must be adjacent to the claim or the nutrition label (b)(6)(ii). The claim may not be made if the reference food already meets the "low sodium" definition (b)(6)(iii).
Salt is not sodium: paragraph (c)
Paragraph (c) says "salt" is not synonymous with "sodium." Salt refers to sodium chloride, and references to salt content such as "unsalted," "no salt" and "no salt added" are described as potentially misleading. The section then sets rules:
- "Salt free" may be used only if the food is "sodium free" as defined in (b)(1).
- "Unsalted," "without added salt" and "no salt added" may be used only if no salt is added during processing, the food it resembles is normally processed with salt, and, if the food is not sodium free, the statement "not a sodium free food" or "not for control of sodium in the diet" appears adjacent to the nutrition label.
- The (c)(2) rule does not apply to a factual statement that a food intended specifically for infants and children less than 2 years of age is unsalted, if the statement refers to the taste of the food and is not otherwise false and misleading.
Worked example
A snack has a RACC of 50 g, so it is not a 30 g or less food and the per 50 g test does not apply. At 120 mg of sodium per RACC it is at or under 140 mg, so the numeric test for a "low sodium" term in (b)(4) is met, though it is over 35 mg and so does not fit "very low sodium." A cracker with a 30 g RACC at 120 mg per RACC would also need 140 mg or less per 50 g; if the 50 g figure were 200 mg, the food would not satisfy (b)(4)(i)(B). The checker above applies exactly these comparisons and nothing else.
What the numbers do not decide
Meeting a threshold does not by itself make a claim lawful. The claim must also follow 101.13, the nutrition labeling in 101.9, and the reference amount rules in 101.12. Section 101.12(g) adds that if the labeled serving size differs from the reference amount and the product meets the criteria only on the reference amount basis, the claim must be followed by a statement of the basis. This page does not decide how any specific label should read.
Sources
Sources opened and read November 2, 2026.
- eCFR: 21 CFR 101.61, Nutrient content claims for the sodium content of foods (current through October 29, 2026) (read November 2, 2026)
- eCFR: 21 CFR 101.12, Reference amounts customarily consumed per eating occasion (current through October 29, 2026) (read November 2, 2026)
- eCFR: 21 CFR part 101, Food Labeling (read November 2, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What is the FDA definition of low sodium?
140 mg or less sodium per reference amount customarily consumed, with an added per 50 g condition when the reference amount is 30 g or less or 2 tablespoons or less (21 CFR 101.61(b)(4)).
What does very low sodium mean?
35 mg or less sodium per reference amount customarily consumed, with the same per 50 g condition for small reference amounts (101.61(b)(2)).
What is the limit for sodium free?
Less than 5 mg of sodium per reference amount customarily consumed and per labeled serving (101.61(b)(1)).
What does reduced sodium require?
At least 25 percent less sodium per reference amount than an appropriate reference food, with the reference food and percent difference declared next to the claim (101.61(b)(6)).
Can a label say salt free?
Only if the food is also sodium free as defined in 101.61(b)(1) (101.61(c)(1)).
What do no salt added and unsalted require?
No salt added during processing, a similar food normally processed with salt, and, if not sodium free, the statement "not a sodium free food" or "not for control of sodium in the diet" next to the nutrition label (101.61(c)(2)).
Is this health advice about sodium intake?
No. It reports the labeling definitions only.
Not legal or compliance advice
This page is general information drawn from the sources listed, not legal, tax or compliance advice, and it is not run by any government agency. Rules, forms and dates change and your agency, base jurisdiction or enforcement officer decides your case, so confirm with the office named on this page before you rely on it. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.