Overcoming the Technical Challenges of Reduced Salt Formulations Gary Sandberg, Ph.D. British Columbia Institute of Technology
Uses of Salt Preservative Flavour Fermentation control Extractions Texture
A summary of functions performed by salt in some food products (Brady, 2002; Hutton, 2002) Bread To impart flavour To control yeast growth and fermentation rate To assist product texture To reduce spoilage Breakfast cereals To impart flavour To assist product texture Margarine and spreads To impart flavour To prevent spoilage To control shallow-frying performance in some products Sauces and pickles To impart flavour To assist in preservation To retain texture of pickled vegetables during storage prior to bottling To inhibit clouding of vinegar in pickled products
A summary of functions performed by salt in some food products (Brady, 2002; Hutton, 2002) - continued Savoury snacks To impart flavour To assist product texture in some expanded products To act as a solid carrier of applied seasonings and flavours, enabling their accurate measurement and improving their flowability Meat products To impart flavour To assist in preservation To increase water-holding capacity in some products, and increase meat binding in others Cheese To impart flavour To help reduce the metabolic activity of the starterculture bacteria
Health Implications of Salt In the UK, Ireland and the USA, over 80 per cent of salt intake comes from processed food, with 20 per cent of salt intake coming from meat and meat products, and about 35 per cent from cereal and cereal products.
Reduce Salt?
Kraft Foods Inc to reduce salt in NA products by 10% over next 2 years Campbells has already cut sodium in 100 products by 25-50% over past four years.
Solutions to Salt Reduction: Leave it out Reduce Replacements Bitter blockers
Leave it Out or Reduce Do you need it (functional purpose)? Threshold levels? Gradual weaning
Replacements: Group 1 replacers (e.g. LiCl, KCl) Other Chloride salts (Mg and Ca) Group 2 MSG and other flavour enhancers Phosphates (other than sodium)
Group 1 and 2 Elements:
What about other Chloride Salts? LiCl - toxic KCl 50% or greater - bitterness - therefore usage 20-50% CaCl 2 MgCl 2
Solutions May Be Unique to Specific Product Categories: Meat products salt important for extraction of meat proteins Dairy Products control of fermentation Baked goods control of fermentation and leavening action Snack Foods flavour and texture
Salt Uses in Meat Products Extraction of salt soluble proteins Flavour Shelf-life
Meat: Reduction Strategies Sodium not the most active part of salt. Chloride ion is much more important (in terms of extraction) Potential replacers: KCl, MgCl 2, CaCl 2 Also need to consider hidden sodium (i.e. sodium phosphates) as part of sodium reduction strategy Encapsulated ammonium salts (chlorides, phosphates, citrates, lactate)
Additional binding agents hydrocolloids, non-meat proteins Also use flavour enhancers and masking agents - MSG, ribotides, nucletides, bitterness masking of KCl Better functionality of current salt (i.e. flake salt) leading to lower usage?
Uses of Salt in Bakery Applications Uses of salt: 1. Development of gluten structures 2. Inhibit baker s yeast in bread dough fermentations 3. Control a W
Bakery: Reduction Strategies KCl (max 10-20%) due to bitterness Increase crust to crumb ratio Flavoured ingredients (wheat bran, wheat germ, etc.) Review processing parameters (decrease salt, yeast activity increases) Reduce other sodium salts used
Dairy Uses of Salt Control of microbial and enzymatic activity Manipulation of casein micelle (rheology) Prevent spoilage Flavour
Dairy: Reduction Strategies Batch standardization Increase protein content with ultrafiltered whole milk retentate (UFMR) added to low sodium cheeses Flavour enhancers Processing modifications (heat and temperature) For butter and margarine already in place
Snack Food Applications of Salt Coatings and flavour Rheological properties
Snack Foods: Reduction Strategies No salt Salt replacers (KCl, ammonium, calcium and magnesium salts, mycosent salt) Flavours (Italian, savoury flavours, oleoresins, natural flavours) New flavours (regional and ethnic) Changes in manufacturing
Salt Replacement Products PanSalt Lo Salt Saxa So-Low Morton Lite Salt Prime Favorites: NeutralFres Givaudan: Natural Flavour System Quest: ImpaQ Wixton Fontrome Manfique Salt Away - Mimic Wild Flavours Inc - SaltTrim Mycoscent Alberger Salt
Conclusions: Salt Reduction? Not an impossible task Need for creative thinking about what the function of salt is in the specific product