CHICAGO— Salt plays an important role in food products in terms of functional properties, sensory attributes, and food preservation, but high levels of sodium have been linked to health problems such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The findings of a study in the June 2015 issue of the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) could potentially be used to meet the high demand for products that are low in sodium with favorable sensory qualities.
In the study, researchers from University of Lavras, Brazil partially replaced sodium chloride in shoestring potatoes with a salts mix consisting of potassium chloride and monosodium glutamate. Using the salts mix reduced sodium content by 65 percent on average and had a high sensory acceptance from a pool of 100 consumers. More research needs to be done to see if this method could be used for other food products.
Read the Journal of Food Science abstract here
