UK-based food ingredients firm Tate & Lyle has announced the global launch of SODA-LO Salt Microspheres, a new salt reduction ingredient that is said to taste, label and function like salt.
The company noted that by using SODA-LO, which has been developed from salt, food manufacturers can reduce salt levels by 25% to 50% in various applications without sacrificing taste.
SODA-LO Salt Microspheres has been developed using a patent-pending technology that converts standard salt crystals into free-flowing crystalline microspheres. These smaller, lower-density crystals deliver salty taste by maximizing surface area relative to volume.
As SODA-LO is made from real salt, it has none of the bitter aftertaste or off-flavours associated with some other salt compounds or substitutes, the company said.
Tate & Lyle Health and Wellness Product Management director David Lewis said that salt is a staple in food production because of its taste, function and its role as a preservative and texturizing aid.
"Through advanced technology, Tate & Lyle has produced salt microspheres to give manufacturers an ingredient that functions as well as, if not better, than salt," Lewis added.
Tate & Lyle noted that SODA-LO Salt Microspheres can be used in a wide variety of foods including baked goods, breading and coatings, salty snacks. It is continuing to assess its suitability in a number of other applications.
