Sodium Reduction in Processed Meats Stephen Quickert Sr. Manager, Kraft Heinz R&D
Consumer and regulatory considerations
IOM Report: Sodium Intake in Populations IOM Report Brief May 2013 The available evidence on associations between sodium intake and direct health outcomes is consistent with population-based efforts to lower excessive dietary sodium intakes The evidence on health outcomes is not consistent with efforts that encourage lowering of dietary sodium in the general population to 1,500 mg/day There is no evidence on health outcomes to support treating population sub groups differently from the general U.S. population 3
Most people aren t getting enough potassium Yang et al Sodium and Potassium Intake and Mortality Among US Adults Arch Intern Med 2011 The recommended ratio of sodium to potassium is at least 1:2 On average, people are at around 1.5:1 While the relative risk for increased sodium and disease outcomes are not that high, the relative risk for high sodium:potassium ratios are much higher 4
Consumers think sodium is important FMI U.S. Grocery Shopping Trends 2016 http://www.fmi.org/docs/default-source/webinars/fmi-2016- us-grocery-shopper-trends-overviewwebinar5ce7030324aa67249237ff0000c12749.pdf?sfvrsn=2 5
Meats are top contributors to sodium CDC (cdc.gov/salt/sources.htm) Top Sources of Sodium in the Diet Breads and rolls Cold cuts and cured meats Pizza Poultry Soups Sandwiches Cheese Pasta dishes Meat dishes Snacks 6
7 Consumers believe meats are high in sodium IFIC Consumer Sodium Research 2011
What s ahead? FDA draft guidance on sodium reduction goals FDA is considering making changes to the healthy regulation A joint committee from the US and Canada will convene this fall to update DRI s for sodium and potassium More scientific groups are calling for clinical trials on low sodium and cardiovascular disease outcomes
Will the sodium healthy standard remain at 480? 9 CFR 317.363 (3) The product shall not contain more than 480 mg of sodium per reference amount customarily consumed, per labeled serving size 1 This regulation previously provided that, after January 1, 2006, individual meat products bearing the claim healthy (or any derivative of the term health ) must contain no more than 360 mg of sodium Implementation of these sodium level requirements for products bearing the claim healthy (or any derivative of the term health ) has been deferred indefinitely due to technological barriers and consumer preferences. 9
Challenges and strategies for reducing sodium
Functional challenges The challenges of reducing salt in processed meats relate to its three critical functions Function of salt in processed meats Texture (bind or functionality) Food safety and preservation Flavor
Challenges - Texture Salt swells and solubilizes the myofibrillar protein in meats, allowing the meat to bind water, fat, and protein This plays an integral role in the balance of tenderness / firmness, and the juiciness of processed meats Salt/sodium reduction can lead to soft texture and poor slice integrity
Challenges - Food Safety Salt has a significant role in the food safety and preservation of processed meats Salt is a parameter in all food safety models Salt reduction may require food safety validation Spoilage - reduction in salt and/or other ionic ingredients will make a product more susceptible to spoilage
Challenges - Flavor Salt is one of the characterizing flavors of processed meats Salt also acts as an overall flavor enhancer Salt reduction and/or replacement can result in an unbalanced flavor or add off flavors However, texture and food safety are generally the limiting factors in reducing salt Flavor is mainly a concern as salt is replaced with potassium chloride
Challenges - Overall There are no universal methods or ingredients to aid in reducing sodium There is no common solution for sodium reduction each product is unique. Each type of product will require different interventions in formula and process depending on: Emulsified vs. ground vs. whole muscle Species Food safety intervention used Cost considerations
Reduction Strategies - Salt Reduce salt - Simplest intervention, may be possible to reduce 0.5% or more Possible problems Poor product bind, texture, and/or yield Reduced salty flavor Enablers Add binders such as starch, carrageenan, etc. (subject to regulatory limits) Add phosphate (if not already in formula) Optimize manufacturing process
Reduction Strategies - Salt Partially replace with potassium chloride (KCl) Possible problems Bitter/metallic flavor Enablers Bitterness blockers / masking agents (but these may also reduce overall flavor impact) Note that KCl only provides 78% of the ionic strength of salt (on a weight basis), so more will be needed for bind and food safety It is helpful to formulate to a salt equivalent value salt + potassium chloride x 0.78 = salt equivalent
Reduction Strategies - Salt Salt substitutes Combinations of alternative salts (KCl, MgCl 2, flavor enhancers and bitterness blockers) They provide a complete system, but potentially at a higher cost NuTek is filing a petition to allow potassium chloride to be labeled as potassium salt
Reduction Strategies Sodium Lactate Replace sodium lactate with potassium lactate Possible problems Bitter/metallic flavor Enablers Bitterness blockers / masking agents More highly purified potassium lactates have less bitter/metallic flavor Use of potassium lactate will limit the amount of salt you can replace with KCl
Reduction Strategies Sodium Lactate Replace lactate with alternative ingredient based food safety system Formulated ingredients Propionate and/or benzoate Cultured ingredients Topical spray antimicrobials Lauric arginate Active cultures, bacteriocins All must be validated in your product
Reduction Strategies Sodium Lactate Replace lactate with alternative process based food safety system Post package heat pasteurization Only useful on products with an intact surface High pressure (HPP) High capital cost Limits on types of packaging
Reduction Strategies Sodium Phosphates Reduce / remove phosphate Possible problems Reduced bind or emulsion stability Enablers Add binders Test to find minimum phosphate needed Replace with potassium phosphates or a blend Possible problems Higher cost
Other Considerations Sodium reduction is best accomplished over time with incremental changes Salt/sodium reduction can sometimes be at odds with desire for fewer ingredients and cleaner labels Consumers used to think the product would not taste as good if labeled as reduced sodium (but this seems to be changing) However labeling a product as reduced sodium may be difficult for a mainline product (need >25% reduction)
Summary Salt is an integral part of the texture, flavor and food safety of processed meats Sodium is not going away as a concern, particularly for processed meats Salt and sodium can be reduced, but must be customized for each product, and done carefully over time to meet consumer quality expectations and ensure food safety