# low-sodium-main-dish — FDA nutrient content claim qualification criteria

For low-sodium-main-dish, claim term is low sodium; nutrient is sodium; food format is main dish; threshold is 140 mg or less sodium per 100 g; cfr section is 21 CFR 101.61(b)(5)(i), recorded from its source on 2026-08-17.

- **Claim ID:** low-sodium-main-dish _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Claim term:** low sodium _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Nutrient:** sodium _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Food format:** main dish _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Threshold:** 140 mg or less sodium per 100 g _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **CFR section:** 21 CFR 101.61(b)(5)(i) _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_

## What the source says

> The terms “low sodium,” or “low in sodium,” “little sodium,” “contains a small amount of sodium,” or “low source of sodium” may be used on the label or in the labeling of foods, except meal products as defined in <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.13#p-101.13(l)> § 101.13(l) and main dish products as defined in <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.13#p-101.13(m)> § 101.13(m) , provided that: ( i ) ( A ) The food has a reference amount customarily consumed greater than 30 g or greater than 2 tablespoons and contains 140 mg or less sodium per reference amount customarily consumed; or ( B ) The food has a reference amount customarily consumed of 30 g or less or 2 tablespoons or less and contains 140 mg or less sodium per reference amount customarily consumed and per 50 g (for dehydrated foods that must be reconstituted before typical consumption with water or a diluent containing an insignificant amount, as defined in <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(f)(1)> § 101.9(f)(1) , of all nutrients per reference amount customarily consumed, the per 50-g criterion refers to the “as prepared” form); and ( ii ) If the food meets these conditions without the benefit of special processing, alteration, formulation, or reformulation to vary the sodium content, it is labeled to clearly refer to all foods of its type and not merely to the particular brand to which the label attaches (e.g., “fresh spinach, a low sodium food”); and ( 5 ) The terms defined in <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.61#p-101.61(b)(4)> paragraph (b)(4) of this section may be used on the label or in labeling of meal products as defined in <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.13#p-101.13(l)> § 101.13(l) and main dish products as defined in <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.13#p-101.13(m)> § 101.13(m) , provided that: ( i ) The product contains 140 mg or less sodium per 100 g; and

## Source

- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-D/section-101.61

Last verified: 2026-08-17. Review by: 2027-08-17.
Part of [FDA nutrient content claim qualification criteria](https://referencesource.org/fda-nutrient-content-claim-criteria/).