Salt warnings on restaurants’ menu in New York City was supposed to be enforced on March 1, however, National Restaurant Association requested an appellate judge to put the ruling on hold. Under salt warning, all restaurants in NYC have to print a tiny salt shaker symbol next to the menu for items, which consists more than 2,300 mg of sodium, which is the daily limit recommended by many nutritionists.

NYC is the first city in the United States to issue such a warning to combat heart diseases and stroke. A judge has earlier declared that act will be enacted on March 1 and if a restaurant is not found following the law, a fine of up to $600 will be charged. The warning sign is a tiny black triangle with an emblem of salt shaker within it.

The city’s Department of Health will keep on warning the restaurants for not complying with the legislation, but would not punish them for not following salt warning. Justice Eileen Rakower of New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan ruled in favor of the city, calling the salt warning sign mandatory and oppose forcing restaurants for limiting use of salt rather favors that consumer should be informed about level of sodium in their diet. According to him, information is power.

However, the appellate judge halted the law Monday in response to a request by the National Restaurant Association, a restaurant trade group. The Association has been fighting the legislation since it was first introduced by NYC’s Mayor Bill de Blasio in June. The organization calls the bill unfair and burdensome to restaurant owners.

“The association is pleased by today’s decision to grant emergency relief for the men and women that own and operate New York’s restaurants from this unlawful and unprecedented sodium mandate”, stated the association.