Refining strategies to reduce salt

Salt (sodium chloride) plays a critical role in ensuring food safety. Historically, salt has served as a natural preservative by lowering water activity in foods, which inhibits microbial metabolism and growth, delays spoilage and extends shelf life. However, consuming too much sodium can raise blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a second round of voluntary targets for reducing sodium in the food supply. The targets focus on lowering the salt levels in commercially processed, packaged and prepared foods as the FDA said that more than 70% of sodium intake in the US population comes from sodium added during food manufacturing and commercial food preparation.

For food manufacturers to successfully achieve their salt reduction goals, ingredient science technologies must be used to reduce sodium while maintaining the flavour, texture and food safety of processed products. Experts are now recommending future strategies for reducing sodium content in foods, increasing potassium intake and boosting consumer acceptance of lower-sodium foods.

The recommendations — which stemmed from a 13 March Expert Dialogue on Sodium Reduction and Public Health held by Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences (IAFNS) — appeared in a recent issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Food Science. According to the authors, sodium reduction efforts in foods for improving public health require activities and strategies in:

• data collection and monitoring;
• regulatory efforts;
• food technology and safety; and
• consumer understanding and education.

Straightforward removal of sodium-containing ingredients or manufacturing no- or low-sodium alternatives without compromising sensory attributes (eg, taste, texture, colour) has its limits. Many commonly consumed foods, such as deli meats, cheeses, condiments and dressings, require salt for functional and food safety purposes, making sodium reduction difficult in these product categories.

For example, perishable low-sodium processed meat products are more susceptible to microbial growth. Regular bacon and ham contain 3.5% salt, and reduced-salt bacon and ham contain 2.3%. The shelf life for regular and reduced-salt bacon and ham is 56 and 28 days, respectively, because of the increased growth rate of C. botulinum toxin.

Potassium salt substitutes were also an important part of the experts’ deliberations. Potassium salt substitutes have been shown to reduce blood pressure, as well as the risk of stroke and cardiovascular mortality, osteoporosis and kidney stones. According to the paper, “increasing dietary potassium intake has remained on the sidelines, despite it having blood pressure-lowering effects”.

The paper includes North American perspectives from seven IAFNS webinars and meetings on current activities to reduce and monitor sodium intake, address technology and food safety challenges, and highlight the importance of consumer perceptions and behaviours as part of salt-reduction strategies.

The authors conclude that education is an important component. “While progress has been made in producing lower sodium foods while maintaining their functional properties and food safety, consumer acceptance is necessary; otherwise, the industry’s efforts will have a limited impact,” they said.

The Australian Government is also working with industry to achieve a 30% reduction in average population salt intake by 2025. According to FSANZ, the Australian and New Zealand Governments recommend adults eat around 2000 mg of sodium per day (equivalent to about one teaspoon of salt).

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