Sodium/salt reduction and alternatives

THE global market for sodium reduction ingredients is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 11.2 percent to reach US$1.24 billion by 2020, according to research and consulting firm MarketsandMarkets. Strong demand is expected particularly in the bakery & confectionery and meat products sectors.

Reducing sodium and/or salt from food and beverage products is not without its continuing disputes among industry and government agencies and consumer advocacy groups, at least in the US where the Food and Drug Administration has set sodium reduction guidelines that have made many manufacturers unhappy. Let’s assume that they’re all fighting for the consumer. After all, isn’t the consumer king? What do consumers want? Are consumers even aware of the amount of sodium and salt in what they eat?   

A misconception among end-consumers is that sodium and salt are the same, which leads to another misconception that just because a food doesn’t taste salty, it doesn’t contain sodium.

Sodium and sodium compounds are added in varying amounts to many food types, including breads, cheeses, processed meats and poultry, pasta, pizza, and savory snacks, for preservation and other non-flavor functions like leavening in bread. It will always be present in any canned, packaged or bottled food product, even sweet pickles. In lesser amounts, it is also present in coffee and tea, fruits, vegetables, and seafood.

Sodium is also found in 40 percent of salt (table salt or sea salt), another indispensable ingredient for enhancing flavor, color and texture, preserving food, and a binding agent.

Having said that, sodium compounds and salt are essential in food and beverage formulas, however, since excessive intake of these has been associated with heart disease and hypertension, their application in food and beverage has to be consistent with health regulations from governments.

(Photo © Peggy Greb /ARS)

Carrying out reformulation, which is just a part of a long process, does take long and entails cost, but given the pros and cons, it may still be the right thing to do for your consumers who want to enjoy your products and who want to be healthy. With sodium reduction being a major trend, you may not have a choice unless you have a better strategy.

Large companies, whose processed foods reach most parts of the world, are doing their share of changing formulas. For its branded retail food products, Hormel will limit sodium by 15 percent on average. General Mills has already cut 20 percent sodium in most of its product categories. Within five years, Mars reduces sodium by 20 percent. Universal Robina Corporation, maker of salty snacks in the Philippines has introduced a less salty version of its popular “Chippy” corn chips.

Most recently, Nestlé S.A. said it will go further in its sodium reduction efforts, and announced: its commitment to help people consume no more than 2,000 milligrams of sodium per day, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) – lower than the US Dietary Guidelines of 2,300 milligrams per day;

Nestlé will also increase the number of foods and beverages from its global portfolio that could reasonably fit into a dietary pattern that contains less than 2,000 milligrams of sodium per day.  About 43 percent of Nestlé's foods meet this target;

Nestlé supports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s efforts to release draft voluntary sodium reduction targets.

In a press release, Paul Grimwood, Chairman and CEO, Nestlé USA says: “Our food and beverages provide nutrition to people in 189 countries, and with this scale we have a powerful platform to contribute to better global health outcomes, including for heart health. We are committed to constantly improving the nutritional profile of our products, but we also recognize that effective solutions to public health challenges require broad, multi-stakeholder efforts. This is why we encourage our industry colleagues, along with others in both the private and public sector, to join forces and combine our varied expertise to help people move toward healthier eating patterns, including a diet lower in sodium.”

Ready solutions

Reduced sodium does have an effect on flavor, so taste is obviously one of the major issues. With the growing number of new ingredients available, companies do have solutions to improve on their products without less sodium.

Just to name a few, ADM’s solutions for meat products can reduce up to 30 percent of sodium content. According to the company, the texture, flavor, preservation and water-holding capacity remain.

The SaltTrim^Ⓡ , part of the SaltTrim^Ⓡ range, is based on sea salt, which is naturally rich in potassium chloride and other minerals. The combination of Sea SaltTrim^Ⓡ with ADM’s natural flavorings delivers full salty notes without the bitterness that is usually associated with potassium.

Another product, the Salt Enhancer is a natural flavoring designed for food with low sodium levels. It facilitates the removal of up to 30 percent sodium from product formulation while preserving the products’ salty taste and mouthfeel. Presented in a dry powder form, Salt Enhancer can be easily blended with other dry ingredients and is suitable for a wide range of applications including fresh processed meat, cured meat pieces, raw-cooked and precooked products, as well as raw and dry meat. SaltTrim^® products and Salt Enhancer are both temperature stable, Kosher and Halal certified.

The Arcon^Ⓡ range of functional soya protein concentrates reinforces its commitment to reducing salt in meat applications. With the potential to aid water absorption and binding—as well as gelation, emulsification and cohesion—functional soya proteins offer a number of important technical properties when used in meat products. Functional soya proteins enhance eating quality by improving the structure, mouthfeel and bite as well as delivering increased product consistency and shelf life. ADM’s functional soya proteins can help manufacturers address concerns for texture and water retention often associated with sodium-reduced meat applications.

Hilton Tel Aviv votes for Umamix, a sodium reduction ingredient (Photo: Salt of the Earth Ltd.)

Umamix Bold, the latest product from Salt of the Earth, is a blend of vegetable extracts and sea salt, and all-natural ingredient that can reduce sodium up to 45 percent in dishes.

“The use of Umamix Bold allows chefs and caterers to significantly reduce the levels of salt they are using in their recipes while boosting the flavor of the recipes,” says Revital Ben Shahar, marketing manager for Salt of the Earth.

The product, which also adds umami taste, is now being used in dishes served at the Hilton Tel Aviv.

Polysaccharides

For seafood and meat, table salt or phosphate is added to retain the moisture in seafood and meat. But according to researchers from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, polysaccharides, a type of carbohydrate often used as a food additive, can take its place. Testing this on boiled, frozen and dried the shrimp, they found that polysaccharides kept the moisture locked in.

“The study showed there are some polysaccharides that will likely not change the way the shrimp tastes, feels or looks to the consumer,” said Paul Sarnoski, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of food science and human nutrition. Researchers discovered this through taste tests by consumer panelists at the UF Center for Smell and Taste.

Compared to phosphates, polysaccharides can be a more cost-effective option for food processors or restaurant operators.

Fish sauce alternative

It may come as a surprise – or not – to use fish sauce as an alternative to sodium for some food products. A standard seasoning and flavor enhancer in many Asian dishes, it is a combination of sea salt and long-jawed black anchovies in large vats to slowly ferment for 8-12 months, during which the protein breaks down to free amino acids. The result is a salty and umami taste.  

According to a study documented in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), the addition of Vietnamese fish sauce in chicken broth, tomato sauce and coconut curry reduced the amount of sodium chloride by 10 to 25 percent, but the perceived palatability, saltiness and overall flavor intensity was maintained.

According to researchers, Linh Hue Huynhm Robert Danhi, and See Wan Yan from Taylor’s University in Malaysia, fish sauce may be used by chefs and food manufacturers as a partial substitute ingredient for salt as a means to reduce sodium content in food without affecting palatability.