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Current Innovations in Reducing
Salt in Food Products
June 2012
Prepared by Katie Wallis and Sarah Chapman,
Campden BRI
1.0 Introduction
The continuing drive from governments, health professionals and retailers to reduce salt in food products, has led to an increase in both the development of salt replacing ingredients and innovative methods to help decrease the quantities of salt eaten by consumers. Salt has many functions within foods including preservation, texture, improving processability and taste. Initiatives directed around salt replacing ingredients are mainly focussed on the addition of other mineral salts, e.g. potassium chloride, flavour enhancers and yeast extracts with strong umami characteristics. Most have been trialled by the food industry, and many have been incorporated into commercial recipes. However some of the ingredients are known to be associated with negative organoleptic qualities. There has also been research into and development of methods that aim to decrease salt in foods, including slowly decreasing the salt content in food products over a long period of time, “reduction by stealth”, altering the food matrix, the inclusion of water in oil in water emulsions (wow emulsions) as well as the inclusion of aromas giving the perception that the product is saltier than it is. The problem the food industry faces is that consumers will expect reduced salt products to exhibit the same flavour and appearance as the original product, but be healthier because of the reduction in salt. Any discrepancy in the flavour of the food will have a negative effect on repeat purchases of the product by the consumer. This report discusses current innovations on reducing salt from a sensory perspective, including salt replacing ingredients, as well as highlighting emerging technologies, current research and the future of salt reduction. 2.0 Current innovations in salt reduction 2.1: Salt substitutes and salt replacing ingredients Research carried out on improving the acceptability of reduced salt foods (DÖtsch. et al., 2009) led to the development of numerous salt replacing ingredients and compounds. They claim to either enhance the salty flavour or replicate the function of salt without affecting the sodium content; however they do not have the preservative effect of salt. Therefore manufactures need to be cautious if using salt replacing ingredients in reduced salt products, and to ensure that there are other preservative hurdles in place assure the safety end life of the products. Salt substitutes, which consist of other mineral salts, can impart a salty flavour to food; however the flavour profile is different to sodium chloride. Potassium chloride (KCl) or modified potassium chlorides are most frequently used. Other mineral salts including ammonium chloride, calcium chloride and magnesium sulphate, deliver unwanted flavours which limit their use (Heidolph., et al., 2011). Potassium chloride can generally only substitute up to 30% of salt in majority of food products, this is because at higher levels, potassium chloride has a noticeable metallic flavour (Brandsma, I., 2007), which some consumers find unpleasant. The use of potassium chloride in replacement of sodium is more effective in strong, hot flavoured products. In bland or slightly weak flavoured foods, a bitter, metallic taste is observed, therefore to help reduce the unpleasant aftertaste it is usually blended with sodium chloride or other mineral salts in order to reduce the metallic
aftertaste. Potassium chloride’s bitter aftertaste along with consumers avoiding potassium for health reasons limits its use in reduced salt food products. Table 1.0 provides a detailed list of salt replacing ingredients currently available. Other ingredients used in the development of improving the quality of reduced salt products are taste enhancers. Taste enhancers include yeast extracts, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and hydrolysed vegetable protein (HVP). They are added into recipes to enhance the flavour thereby compensating for the reduction in salt. This approach tends to work best in savoury flavoured applications. The umami effect delivered from these ingredients increases the perceived salty taste, without the high sodium content. Enhancers work by increasing the flavour of products due to activating taste buds linked to the umami taste receptors (Brandsma, 2006). Although the taste enhancing ingredients provide a strong flavour, there are negative organoleptic and health problems associated with some of these ingredients. MSG is linked with possible health implications including hyperactivity, sickness and migraines (Kilcast, and den Ridder 2007) as well as being classified as an artificial additive. HVP and yeasts can impart the flavour of a food with a strong meaty/beefy flavour, which some consumers may dislike. Yeasts and HVP can themselves contain a salt level of up to 40%, therefore manufacturers (depending on product application) may need to limit the amount put into the product or find an alternative ingredient. Although there has been a step forward in the development of salt replacing ingredients and taste enhancers, there is still an element of negative organoleptic impact associated with the ingredients. They can be considered a useful additional tool in the reduction of salt. However food manufacturers and researchers still need to develop new methods to aid the reduction of salt in a wide range of products. See Table 1.0 for a detailed summary of salt enhancing ingredients, including claimed usage rates and application types. 2.2: Modification of the structure of Sodium Chloride Salt crystals of varying sizes have the ability to influence the delivery of the salty taste. It is thought that the smaller the particle size, the faster the rate of dissolution and therefore the rate of perception of salt is increased. Research on potato snacks claimed that snacks containing finer salt crystals gave a more rapid release of saltiness than larger crystal sizes (Kilcast and den Ridder, 2007). Jensen, et al., (2011) patented a seasoning and technique which consisted of a particle size of 20 micron. Johnson, et al (2011) also patented a seasoning and a technique that contained 20 micron particle size of sea salt and flavourings both aimed at allowing a reduction in salt.
Development of sodium chloride with a modified structure has also been investigated; it has the same functionality and properties as salt, however the physical structure is re-engineered into hollow microscopic particle sizes. Eminate developed and patented this process, and developed a new product called Soda-Lo®, which is to be marketed and sold by Tate and Lyle later this year (Watson, 2011). Soda
Lo® is claimed to have the ability to reduce salt up to 50%, but can deliver a stronger, salty flavour, compared to table salt, and can still be declared as salt on the packaging (Bouckley., 2011). Eminate have investigated the reduction of salt using Soda Lo® in a variety of products, including bread, snacks, sausages and sauces and their results claim that it produces reduced salt products with the same qualities as the original normal salt products.
Table 1.0: Listing and summarising current salt replacing ingredients and flavour enhancers
Product Title Supplier and contact details
Function of product
Manufacturers Claims
Composition of product
Manufacturers suggestions
Additional manufacturer claims
Low-So Salt replacer
Malabar www.malabarsuperspice.com
Salt reducer Dependent on product, found in French fries at 42% sodium replacement and in ham a 25% reduction
Modified potassium chloride, rice flour
Salty snacks, meat products, and cheese production.
Has a modified crystal structure. www.malabarsuperspice.com
KcLeanTM
Salt
WIxon www.wixon.com
Salt reducer Up to 50% reduction
Proprietary ingredient, sodium chloride and potassium chloride
Soups, Sauces, meats, frozen entrees, cheese, meal kits, cereals, salad dressings, canned foods, batters, breadings, baked goods, popcorn, and French fries.
Has the taste and texture of regular salt. Has no bitter metallic aftertaste. It is available in a regular sea salt and kosher form. It is able to withstand processing and claims it contains no artificial flavours.
Kalisel Kali http://www.kali-gmbh.com
Salt reducer Up to 30% reduction
Potassium chloride Bakery Products Pre prepared Meals Processed Meats and Poultry Soups and Sauces Cheese Products Beverages Baby Food
Complies with international food regulations High purity Particularly low content of secondary salts Natural origin
Salt Trim ®, Salt Trim ® Plus, Sea Salt Trim®
Wild Flavours Inc. www.wildflavors.com
Salt reducers Up to 50% removal of salt.
No information available
Soups, processed meat products, pizza shelf stable/ canned foods, salty snacks, sauces, salad dressings and tomato juice
Salt Trim ® (potassium chloride, added separately by consumer), Salt Trim ® Plus- (Salt Trim plus potassium chloride) , Sea Salt Trim® (Salt Trim and sea salt). Heat-stable for processing, natural and organic versions are available, meets
FDA and USDA labelling regulations, kosher version available and comes in a dry powder form.
Lacto Optitaste Armor Proteines http://www.armor-proteines.com/ENG/gamme.php
Salt reducer Dependent on the product 20% less sodium in cooked meat products, 25% less sodium in baked goods, 30% less sodium in soups.
Milk mineral blend Meat products, baked products, soups and cheese.
Made by cracking milk, hence labelling for allergens. No after taste, natural, adds natural or added aromas making products taste more natural. Required. http://www.armor-proteines.com/ENG/gamme.php
Pansalt® Oriola http://www.oriola.com/
Sodium
reducer
100% substitution
leading to a ≈77%
reduction in
sodium
Sodium chloride,
Potassium Chloride,
magnesium Sulphate
and Lysine
Hydrochloride
All applications No bitter aftertaste. Data shows that it can remarkably improve the therapeutic effects of drugs used for the treatment of high blood pressure. http://www.pansalt.fi/default.aspx?SectionId=681
Sub4salt® Jungbunzlauer http://www.jungbunzlauer.com/
Salt reducer 100% substitution, leads to a 35% reduction in sodium. Degree of substitution depends on product.
Sodium Gluconate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride.
Soups, Bakery applications, meat, Snacks
Similar salty taste, no additional off tastes, easy to handle and comparable dosage levels preventing whole product composition reformulation.
LomaSalt RS50 with NaNO2
www.lohmann-inc.com Salt reducer 30% reduction in sodium levels.
No information available
Cured meat and sausages.
Designed specifically for cured meat and sausage products. Does not contain glutamate, yeasts or other flavour enhancers. No off taste. www.lohmann-inc.com, LomaSalt- The pathway to sodium reduction.
SaltwiseTM
Cargill www.cargill.co.uk
Salt reducer Between a 25-50% reduction in sodium dependent on the product. At 33% consumer testing showed
No information available
Meat products, salted snacks, prepared foods, frozen meals, processed cheese, soups, sauces,
Available in liquid form and for topical applications. Designed to replace the taste and provide the functional properties.
and equal liking for Salt wise and salt products.
gravies and salad dressings.
Mycoscent S Black http://www.sblack.com
Salt reducer Up to 50% reduction in salt for snack food products, a 20-40% reduction in savoury dishes.
Derived from myco-protein.
Snack foods, bakery products, ready meals, soups and sauces, stock cubes, gravy and meat products
Masks bitter taste of potassium chloride.
Salt reducer N100 Salt reducer N200
PTX Food Corp. Email; [email protected]
Salt reducer Not based on potassium chloride. PTX Salt replacers and Natural flavour enhancers- Technical Memo.
Dr Lohmann's Premix salt replacer
Dr PaulLohmann® www.lohmann-inc.com
Salt replacer for direct usage. Salt reducer.
100% replacement for direct usage and up to 50% reduction in sodium levels.
No information available
No information available
Does not contain glutamates. No off taste. www.lohmann-inc.com, LomaSalt- The pathway to sodium Reduction.
AlsoSalt http://www.alsosalt.com Salt replacer 100% replacement, 100% reduction in sodium
Potassium Chloride and Lysine
All Applications No bitter aftertaste Sodium free
Nu-Tek's modified potassium chloride
http://www.nu-tekproducts.com
Salt replacer No information available
Modified potassium chloride
Processed foods, seasonings, meats, poultry and snack foods
http://www.nu-tekproducts.com
LomaSalt RS 100, LomaSalt RS Extra, Lomasalt 50 Neutral, Lomasalt 50 Classic,
Dr PaulLohmann® www.lohmann-inc.com
Salt replacer 100% replacement of sodium.
No information available
Bread, pastry, meat products, fish products, dairy products, processed food, snacks, condiments, and direct usage.
Slightly bitter taste. Does not contain glutamates. 100% sodium free. www.lohmann-inc.com, LomaSalt- The pathway to sodium reduction.
Soda-Lo Eminate www.eminate.co.uk
Physically modified salt. Salt replacer
Up to 50% reduction in non-physically modified salt.
Sodium Chloride, Gum Arabic
Bakery, processed meats, confectionary, soups and sauces,
Sodium chloride but with a modified physical structure. 5-15 microscopic hollow balls that provide an intense hit to the taste buds increases perceived
snacks and breakfast cereals
salt level. For more information see Eminate Soda-lo product specification sheet.
Zalt, Zalt ND
PTX Food Corp. Email: [email protected]
Salt replacer 50% less sodium with 100% replacement of salt
Sea salt, natural flavouring, sodium silicate and magnesium carbonate. Sea salt, Natural flavouring, potassium chloride, silica, magnesium chloride
Bakery No bitter/ off aftertaste. Dairy Allergen labelling required.
Maxorite delite, Maxarite Bsalt, Maxarite Dsalt, Maxarome select, Maxarome pure
http://www.dsm.com/le/en_US/maxarite/html/home.htm
Flavour enhancer
Up to 50% salt reduction
Yeast extract Bakery and dairy products
Maxorite delite, Maxarite Bsalt (potassium chloride, used in Bakery products), Maxarite Dsalt (Potassium chloride, other ingredients that mask the bitter taste, used in dairy products), Maxarome select, Maxarome pure. 100% natural, yeast based product.
KojiAji Forum Products Ltd www.Forum.co.uk
Flavour enhancer
No information available
Fermented wheat protein, Yeast extract and maltodextrin.
Cheese, vegetable flavours, meat, mayonnaise, dressings, oil reduction, and canned foods.
Labelling requirement due to allergen presence (wheat gluten). High impact, long lasting, stable against heat and low pH. Increases fullness and continuity.
Ajimate Super RK, Ajinomoto SaltAnswer
Forum Products Ltd www.Forum.co.uk
Flavour enhancer
No information
available
Yeast extract, Maltodextrin, sugar, vegetable extract.
Herbs and spice mixes, soups.
Labelling requirement due to allergen presence (wheat gluten). Mouth-fullness in middle and aftertaste. Provides rich roast beef taste
Super YE Forum Products Ltd, www.Forum.co.uk
Flavour enhancer
No information
available
Yeast extract, maltodextrin and salt.
Wine, Savoury sauces, gravies, meat and poultry based products, tomato, celery garlic and onion based
Labelling requirement due to allergen presence (wheat gluten). Rich in middle taste, spicy notes and rich in natural glutathione and nucleotides.
products, spice mixes.
Fonterra Savoury Powder
Fonterra http://www.fonterra.com/wps/wcm/connect/fonterracom/fonterra.com/home/
Flavour enhancer
Up to a third sodium reduction
No information available
Dairy products meat products, snack foods soups and sauces.
Dairy based therefore allergen labelling required. Taste panel described that ingredient gives products a more wholesome home-made style taste. http://www.fonterra.com/wps/wcm/connect/fonterracom/fonterra.com/home/
Flavour intensifier 20, Flavour intensifier 30, Flavour intensifier 101, Flavour intensifier 301, Savoury Flavour enhancer 101, Savoury Flavour enhancer 201, Flavour enhancer PM
PTX Food Corp. Email; [email protected]
Natural flavour enhancer
No information available
Cultured whey (if considering maltodextrin as a carrier), Modified vegetable extract, Maltodextrin
Dairy Overall flavour enhancement, MSG replacement, low sodium content and clean label. PTX Salt replacers and Natural flavour enhancers- Technical Memo.
SavorCrave Wild Flavours http://www.wildflavors.com/
Unami flavour enhancer
No information available
No information available
Soups, sauces, salad dressings, snacks, marinades, frozen entrees/ pizza, seasonings, meat analogues, condiments, dips/spreads, vegetables- canned and frozen.
Natural flavour labelling, heat stable For processing. Adds no characteristic flavour, contains no glutamic acid, easily incorporated.
UnSal20 Ungerer & Company http://www.ungererandcompany.com/index.php
Flavours with an increased unami/savoury taste.
No information available
No information available
Soups, sauces, meat products, ready meals, gravies and other dehydrated foods.
Comes in a variety of different flavours; beef, chicken, lamb, pork, mushroom, tomato and vegetable. They are free from artificial ingredients or declarable additive, enabling it to meet clean label
legislation; they are also suitable for organic and vegetarian products.
Seagreens®
Organic Mineral
Salt
Seagreens® -
http://www.seagreens.com/Products/TheMineralSalt.aspx
Flavour enhancer
100% substitution with salt leading to a 50% reduction in sodium intake
50% Ascophyllum nodosum wrack seaweed and 50% sea salt
Topical addition Also nutritionally beneficial due to the high presence of minerals and vitamins
Sense Capture Salt Mane www.mane.com
Natural flavouring
Full salty taste: salt impact + enhancer effect
No information available
Not specified Natural flavouring/Clean label No compromise on taste, no bitterness or off notes KCL option available
This table provides a list of supplier and ingredient information obtained from the supplier, however the information provided is not a comprehensive list
3.0 Current Techniques in Salt Reduction 3.1: Reduction of salt over period of time (Reduction by stealth) Current techniques include the reduction of salt by stealth, which is a process involving the gradual stepwise reduction of salt in processed foods over an extended period of time, that can not be detected by the consumer (Liem, 2011). It is thought that small reductions in salt content over a period of time, enables the consumer not to detect any changes to the organoleptic qualities of products, whilst reducing the salt content and the consumer’s sensitivity to the saltiness of a product. Girgis, et al (2003) carried out a study on sliced white bread that involved a one- quarter reduction of the sodium content over a six week period. Participants were either subjected to loaves of bread in which the sodium was reduced by 5% per week, or loaves of bread containing the same sodium content over the six week period. The results obtained showed that the reduction over the six week period went undetected by consumers; this was evaluated from organoleptic tests, where the perception of flavour and quality did not differ during the six week period. This was thought to be successful as the reduction of sodium was made in small, slow steps, which has been known to not affect the flavour and quality of products. Results of reduction of salt by stealth are positive; however the amount of salt that can be reduced is limited as a large reduction will eventually make the product unpalatable and less appealing to consumers (Beauchamp et al, 1982). 3.2: Reduction of salt by stealth in manufacturing today The “stealth” approach has been used in the food industry for the past two decades. Manufacturers known to use this method include Kellogg’s who started reducing salt in 1998, with reductions of 50% in some of their leading brands (Katz, and Williams., 2010). They also reported to have reduced the salt content of their corn and rice based products (Corn Flakes, Frosties and Crunchy Nut, Rice Krispies, Coco Pops and Ricicles) by 30 percent (Kellogg’s, 2011). Heinz have reported reducing the salt content, using “stealth” and achieving reductions of “40% in Heinz Beans, 39% in Cream of Tomato Soup, 63% in pasta shapes, 38% in Heinz Salad Cream, 51% in HP Sauce and 29% in Heinz Tomato Ketchup” (Heinz, 2011). The decrease in salt has not sparked any consumer rejection and some products will continue to have salt levels reduced in order to meet the 2012 salt guidelines. The amount of time that is needed to successfully reduce the salt by this method generally involves a timeline of at least a year, meaning that if salt targets were to decrease further, with a tight deadline to adhere to, food manufacturers could not depend on this method to reduce salt effectively in all food products. Therefore the food industry is focussing on keeping the strong salty flavour in food, but at a lower sodium level (DÖtsch, et al., 2009).
4.0 Emerging technologies in salt reduction 4.1: Changing the food matrix
Emerging technologies for salt reduction include the adaptation of the food matrix in finished products. This method involves altering the food matrix when reducing salt by applying the salt at different levels throughout the finished product; the purpose of this is to enhance taste intensity. It is thought that a continuous delivery of salt from food can lead to a gradual decline of taste sensitivity (Morris, et al., 2009); this is because under normal eating and drinking routines, the adaptation of taste sensitivity can not be altered. However pulsed delivery of salt in foods can alter taste sensitivity and increase the perception of salt, even if the salt level has been decreased (Morris, et al., 2009; Meiselman and Halpern 1973). Stieger et al (2011) reported in a patent work on three different breads – 1 reference bread with homogenous salt distribution (1.5% and 1.5% salt on flour) and two with inhomogeneous distribution having either 0.5 cm or 1 cm layer thickness with high/low salt content (2.75% and 0.25%). Four out of the five untrained panellists marked the breads with heterogenous salt distribution as saltier than the homogenous salt distribution bread. Noort, et al., (2010) investigated the effects of distributing alternating salt levels in bread, and evaluated whether this method increased the perceived saltiness. Their method involved preparing dough that contained different concentrations of salt from 1.0 to 2.0% on flour weight. The dough was subjected to sheeting, and then alternated into a high-low sequence of salt levels, of 2, 8 or 16 layer thick loaves then baked and frozen to prevent salt migration between layers. Sensory analysis consisted of testing the breads containing alternating salt levels against a standard 2% NaCl (on flour) homogenous salt bread loaf using two different trials. Each trial consisted of different scoring methods for the perceived salt levels. Their results claimed; that the pulsing of moderately small ranges of salt concentrations heterogeneously distributed in the bread could achieve a reduction of ≤6% in salt, whereas a larger contrast in salt concentrations heterogeneously distributed throughout the bread could achieve a reduction of 28%. It was thought that the consumption of the bread with the larger heterogeneous distribution prevented the reduction in sensitivity normally associated with homogenously distributed salt in bread. This paper demonstrated that a heterogeneous distribution of salt in bread can enhance the intensity of salt, thus signifying that a reduction in salt can occur without any effect on the organoleptic properties of the bread. If this method has been successful in bread, it may be possible to apply it in other food products that will allow a significant sodium reduction to be obtained. Meiselman and Halpern (1973) investigated the effects of presenting streams of alternating pulses of a sodium chloride solution to different areas of the tongue in human subjects, to see whether taste was enhanced using this approach. The experiment consisted of distributing NaCl solutions comprising of different salt levels, and distilled water and alternatively presenting both samples to human subjects. The research concluded that the alternating salt concentrations enhanced flavour intensity more than the standard non alternating salt product. It is thought that the water pulses
between each NaCl pulse were sufficient for the tongue to adapt to the changing levels of salt, therefore the sensitivity of taste increased thus meaning taste was enhanced. 5.0: Encapsulation of salt in emulsions 5.1: Water in oil in water (WOW) emulsion overview Emulsions are found in many everyday foods in the form of either water in oil (W/O) or oil in water (O/W) emulsions, which consists of water dispersed in a continuous oil phase. Foods that consist of W/O emulsions include butter, milk, and margarine. The other form of emulsion is oil in water (O/W), which consists of oil dispersed in water. This is generally found in high fat mayonnaises and salad dressings (Frasch-Melnik, 2010) Water in oil in water (WOW) emulsions are emulsions-of-emulsions made up of three distinct phases. The phases consist of small water droplets enclosed in oil; (water in oil emulsion (W/O), which is then encased in a continuous water phase, this creates a double emulsion of water in oil in water. (See fig 1.0. for a detailed diagram).
Fig 1.0: Water in oil in water (WOW) emulsion diagram (adapted from Frasch-Melnik, et al., 2010) It is the water which is dispersed as droplets within the oil phase which has the potential to act as a vehicle for flavours and other active ingredients (Dieroff. 2011. Sapei, et al., 2011.). The potential of including active ingredients and flavourings in the aqueous phase is that it may have the ability to achieve significant reductions of salt and sugar; this is because it is dispersed throughout the water phases, thus giving a stronger perception of flavour throughout the product. It is also claimed that the inclusion of salt in the continuous aqueous phases of an emulsion can affect flavour, by increasing it. The other beneficial property of double emulsions is that they have the ability to control the release of the encapsulated ingredients allowing bursts of flavour to be delivered to the consumer whilst in the mouth (Frasch-Melnik, et al., 2010).
Although the idea behind WOW emulsions may appear novel, there are problems associated with stability and shelf life. The emulsions are difficult to make and control due to being thermodynamically unstable. To help control this problem, complex processing techniques or the addition of surfactant mixtures is needed (Dieroff, 2011). Emulsions are also affected by the shear when involved in high volume manufacturing processes, which can result in creaming of the oil, which means separation of the water and oil phases. Osmotic pressure within solution is another common problem associated with emulsions, if the product has encapsulated ingredients. It is thought that the addition of ingredients to the continuous aqueous phases changes the solute concentration and can create osmotic pressure within the emulsion. This occurs because the inner aqueous phase contains no salt or less salt, therefore the water migrates towards the continuous phase containing high salt concentration, thus initiating the break down of an emulsion. Although research is still in the early stages, WOW emulsions are thought to help in salt reduction because the inner aqueous and continuous phases both have the capability to carry salt, meaning that the distribution can be controlled within an emulsion. 5.2: Current research in WOW emulsions in salt reduction Scientists at Leatherhead Food International investigated how double emulsions affected the perceived, saltiness of a product. They produced a water/oil/water emulsion (WOW) with salt present in the inner aqueous phase and sugar in the continuous water phase or vice versa. Their results claimed that the perceived salt level was increased more when it was in the continuous water phase even though the same concentrations of salt and sugar were used (Drahl, C ., 2009; Frasch-Melnik et al. 2010). Chemical engineers at the University of Birmingham investigated using WOW emulsions in salt replacement. Frasch-Melnik et al. 2010 investigated the potential of using fat crystals to stabilise WOW emulsions, to control the release of salt crystals. Their study involved controlling the release of salt in a food product involving the use of mono- and triglyceride fat crystals, which are thought to stabilise the oil phase containing water droplets which contained salt. They also investigated different temperatures and emulsion stability to conclude at which temperatures the emulsions were stable. Their results stated that the inclusion of fat crystals within the emulsions, gave the encapsulated salt a protective shell which retained the salt within the phases, overcoming the effect of osmotic pressure. They also concluded that salt release can be controlled using temperature, with temperatures that are higher than the melting point of the fat crystals allowing all the salt to be released within seconds. Whereas foods stored at lower temperatures (<15°c) saw that the salt remained encapsulated. Therefore chilled food products have the ability to control the rate of release of salt, due to the cooler storage temperature.
5.3: WOW emulsions and salt replacing ingredients Frasch-Melnik (2010) also, investigated that it was possible to replace the added salt in the inner aqueous phase with potassium chloride. The oil phase surrounding the inner aqueous phase has the ability to mask the bitter after taste associated with potassium chloride, this allows sodium chloride to be present in only the outer water phase, which is known to increase the perceived saltiness of the product, whilst the salt content has been reduced (Daniells., 2010). This approach has great promise, because if the oil can deter the unwanted organoleptic qualities then the potassium chloride could be added in at a higher level, thus meaning the salt content can be reduced. However if the potassium levels were increased this may provoke health problems, as a high potassium intake is associated with negative health effects, especially in renal patients, in which case the body is unable to excrete excess amounts of potassium, therefore increasing health problems such as the calcification of artery walls and cardiac arrhythmias (Doyle., 2011). It is still mainly at the research and development stage and has not yet been incorporated into food manufacturing. 6.0 Inclusion of aromas in reduced salt products The inclusion of aroma compounds in reduced salt foods is based on the interaction between senses, in particular taste-aroma interactions (Batenburg & Velden., 2011). It is thought that the inclusion of aromas can compensate salt reduction in food products, as aromas associated with salty ingredients are thought to enhance the perception of salt. It has been suggested that the link between aroma and taste otherwise known as odour- induced saltiness enhancement (OISE) has the ability to increase the salty flavour and taste intensity in foods, thus meaning that the salt levels in products can be reduced without impact on the flavour or quality (Gray, 2011). Food ingredient and flavour supplier Synergy, developed a range of natural bread aromas, thought to enhance the sensory qualities of bread products that have a reduced salt content (Crowley, 2008). The natural aromas are said to enhance saltiness in a variety of loaves including crusty, malted, granary and fresh baked (Synergy, 2009) and are claimed to allow up to a 20% reduction of salt in bread loaves by enhancing the taste. Research investigating the use of aromas in saltiness enhancement included aromas that consumers associated with saltiness. Cheese, sardine, soy, and bacon aromas all have the ability to enhance the perceived saltiness of food products, as consumers associate the above aromas with salty foods (Lawrence, et al., 2008; Pionnier, et al., 2004; Djordijevic at al., 2004). Lawrence, et al., (2008) investigated odour-saltiness interactions in simple aqueous solutions which contained either no salt or a small amount of salt. Their research consisted of two experiments, the first asking panellists to associate food names and saltiness, they were then asked to rate intensity of taste for each item. The outcome of the first experiment determined what products would be investigated in the second experiment. The second experiment involved a selection of aromas based on products from experiment one that panellists perceived as salty. Panellists were then tested orthonasally and retronasally, and asked to rate odour and taste intensity. The orthonasal technique involved panellists evaluating aromas and distinguishing what it is, whereas the retronasal
experiment involves panellists evaluating aroma solutions which consist of a salt associated aroma, whilst consuming water solutions containing salt or no salt. Results from experiment one saw panellists distinguish foods such as peanuts, sausages, bacon and bouillons as high salt foods. Results from the second experiment showed that the aromas associated with salt can enhance saltiness in solutions containing a low level of sodium chloride through odour-induced changes to taste perception. They concluded that well selected odours may be used to compensate for sodium chloride reduction in food. This led to further work carried out by Lawrence, et al (2011), in which they investigated the effect of cross modal interactions and saltiness enhancement in cheese. From their previous research they distinguished that aromas associated with salty foods, evoked a greater salty impression when tasting foods. This evaluation led them to choose two aromas associated with high salt content, e.g. sardines and comté cheese, and a control aroma which was carrot. The cheese was tainted with the aromas, none of which affected the taste of the cheese. Panellists consumed 16 samples of cheese, 12 unflavoured and 4 flavoured and evaluated the taste intensities and aroma intensities and its resemblance with the product flavour. Results obtained found that the samples containing the sardine and comté cheese aromas had enhanced perceived saltiness, whereas the carrot aroma did not enhance saltiness. The outcome of the research showed that adding aromas may have the ability to enhance the perceived saltiness of reduced salt foods, as the addition of aromas can counterbalance the organoleptic properties affected by salt reduction. 7.0 Conclusion Current and upcoming technologies presented above show clear potential to assist with producing quality reduced salt products. One approach is to formulate recipes with ingredients that have the potential to replicate the purpose of salt, regarding flavour or functional properties without the salt content, or the addition of ingredients that have been subjected to advanced technologies, i.e. modified sodium chloride. Alternatively there are a range of techniques that have or can be implemented into food manufacturing in many sectors, including reduction by stealth and altering of the food matrix. Many publications have been reviewed regarding the current technologies in salt reduction, most of which show a great deal of potential, however some ambiguities remain and it is clear more research needs to be carried out to ensure that the techniques discussed have the potential to be applied to a range of different products. References Batenburg, M., and Velden, R.V.D., (2011) “Saltiness Enhancement by Savoury Aroma Compounds”. Journal of Food Science; 76 (5): 280-288.
Beauchamp, G.K., (1982) “Sensory and receptor responses to umami: an overview of pioneering work”. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; 90 (3) 723S-727S. Bouckely, B., 2011. “Pioneering micro salt hits UK high street”. Food Manufacture Website.
http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/content/view/print/980890 Accessed 28th June 2011.
Brandsma, I., (2006) “Reducing Sodium- A European Perspective”. Innovations in Food
Technology; pp 25-29.
Crowley, L., (2008) “New bread aromas enhance taste in salt reduced products” available at
bakery and snacks website, on http://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/content/view/print/5942
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