CLAIMS
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is allegedly planning to quietly replace the majority of America’s table salt with a new synthetic "salt substitute" containing mRNA chemicals, purportedly developed by Bill Gates.
VERDICT
The claim is untrue. The FDA has only proposed to allow salt substitutes in certain foods to help Americans reducing their sodium intake, and has no intentions of replacing salt. Additionally, there is no evidence suggesting that Gates has somehow financially benefited from salt substitutes.
LIE DETECTOR’S COMMENTARY
Posts regarding salt replacement plans began to spread after some misinformation websites published articles falsely claiming that "the FDA aims at replacing table salt with Gates' new mRNA salt substitute". The FDA was accused of planning to replace the majority of table salt in America with a new synthetic “salt” made by Gates, allegedly "laced with mRNA chemicals".
The articles also assert that “fictitious salt production companies such as “Nu-Salt” or “Morton” are funded by Gates” and claim that these substitutes are dangerous because they contain "potassium chloride, MSG, and other dangerous chemicals used to mimic the taste of real salt."
The truth is that the FDA has no plans to replace all table salt with any alternatives. The Administration has only proposed allowing certain salt substitutes in standardised foods (such as packaged food) to reduce sodium intake.
The first such proposal was put forward in March 2023. In October 2023, the FDA published a preliminary regulatory impact analysis of a proposed rule titled "Use of Salt Substitutes to Reduce the Sodium Content of Standardised Foods".
“This proposed rule, if finalized, would replace the FDA's Standard of Identity (SOI) regulations, which specify salt (sodium chloride) as a mandatory or optional ingredient, allowing the use of salt substitutes in standardized foods to reduce sodium content. Reducing sodium can help lower the risk of hypertension, that is a major cause of heart disease and stroke. The proposed rule would support supply of healthier foods by providing manufacturers with flexibility and facilitate industry innovation to reduce sodium in standardised foods while maintaining the foods' essential qualities and basic characteristics,” the FDA statement says.
It also emphasised that the proposed rule would provide manufacturers with the flexibility to use salt substitutes in standardised foods to reduce sodium; manufacturers are not mandated to replace salt with salt substitutes.
The FDA representatives reassured fact-checkers that the proposed rules only apply to standardised foods, not table salt.
The assertion that a synthetic “salt substitute” is from Gates is also false. The mentioned articles also claim that Gates funds the “salt substitute” companies “Nu-Tek” (which produces “Nu-Salt”) and “Morton Salt”. However, there is no report or credible source confirming that Bill Gates funds “Nu-Tek”. Furthermore, there is no evidence that Gates finances “Morton Salt”.
The brands’ referenced in the article, “Nu-Salt” and “Morton”, salt substitute primarily contain potassium chloride. Other ingredients in the “Morton” salt substitute include fumaric acid, monocalcium phosphate, and silicon dioxide.
The claim that common salt is being replaced with a “mRNA chemical laced inorganic synthetic salt substitute” is misleading, because mRNA is a naturally occurring nucleic acid molecule in plant and animal cells, serving to transfer information to the cell’s protein-making machinery.
Christopher Simmons, professor and chair of the Food Science and Technology department at the University of California, Davis, said in an email to “Reuters” that some salt substitutes might contain some trace of mRNA in the natural flavourings, such as herbs, that may be added to them, however, mRNA is not an ingredient in existing salt substitutes on the market.
“If consumed as a part of a diet with sodium and potassium levels that align with recommended dietary allowances and do not exceed tolerable upper intake levels, I am aware of no evidence that indicates that salt substitutes are associated with negative health effects,” Simmons said.
SOURCES:
- Use of Salt Substitutes to Reduce the Sodium Content in Standardized Foods (Proposed Rule) Preliminary Regulatory Impact Analysis
- Use of Salt Substitutes To Reduce the Sodium Content in Standardized Foods
- BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION NATIONAL STRATEGY ON HUNGER, NUTRITION, AND HEALTH
- No, FDA is not planning to replace salt with 'mRNA fake salt'
- Fact Check: FDA is not replacing salt with 'mRNA’ salt substitutes
- „Nu-Salt“
- Morton Salt Substitute
- You can pass the salt: Bill Gates and the FDA aren’t coming for it
- Fact Check: FDA Does NOT Plan To Replace 'Most Salt In America' With 'Bill Gates' New mRNA Fake Salt'
