Beruflich Dokumente
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by Wayne Morley
esearch has shown that as salt intake is reduced, consumers appear to prefer food with less salt, a phenomenon that is probably related to the accommodation of taste receptors over the course of weeks to months (Blais et al., 1986). While this may be a viable option in some foodstuffs (e.g., breakfast cereal), it is important to note that in many applications salt is not only present for flavoring reasons. For example, in processed meat products, salt controls the water content and influences the protein structure and therefore the texture of the product. In controlling the water activity, sodium chloride also plays a significant role in the microbial stability of the product. In baked goods, salt influences the growth of yeasts, the gluten properties of the dough, and consequently the final consistency of the product. In many thermally-processed products such as soups and sauces, salt supports the microbiological stability over a long period and improves the shelf life of the product as well as modifying the texture. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the slow and gradual reduction of salt from a formulation can go unnoticed by consumers as their palates adjust to the revised sensory profile if the changes are small enough (Bertino et al., 1982, Wheelock and Hobbiss, 1999). This approach is sometimes referred to
Salt Replacers
One approach to reducing sodium is the use of salt replacers. Combinations of ingredients for use as salt replacers have been based on the replacement of the sodium cation with potassium, ammonium, calcium, and lithium, and by anions such as phosphate and glutamates (Wheelock and Hobbiss, 1999). Salts such as lithium chloride and ammonium chloride, although providing a salty taste, are considered unsuitable due to their stability, smell, and high toxicity. Table 1 contains a list of salt replacers that are mentioned in the scientific literature. Of these, the following are the most commonly used in salt replacement blends: Potassium chloride Potassium lactate Magnesium sulphate Potassium chloride (KCl) is the most popular choice as a feasible salt replacer (Renqvist, 1919; Burney and Lucas, 1966; Dzendolet and Meiselman, 1967; Frank and Michelsen, 1970; Murphy et al., 1981; Klaauw and Smith, 1995). It is considered by consum-
The use of aroma technology may enhance the saltiness perception of products such as soup.
Photo copyright iStockphoto.com/gerenme
In baked goods, salt influences the growth of yeasts, the gluten properties of the dough ...
as reduction by stealth and when gradually continued over time, large reductions can be achieved. However, a threshold will almost inevitably be reached, beyond which a loss in appealing flavor will be noticed by consumers, with the potential for a significant risk of declining sales. In addition, this process will not achieve the significant reductions in salt content of processed foods sought by international governments in the short term. ers to be less undesirable than a multitude of other ingredients as demonstrated in a survey by Leatherhead Food Research in 2010 and illustrated in Figure 1. Potassium chloride has been shown to have an equivalent antimicrobial effect on typical pathogenic bacterial species (Bidlas and Lambert, 2008). Its acceptability is, however, limited due to its pronounced bitter, chemical, metallic taste and aftertaste. This
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Potassium Chloride Lithium Chloride Ammonium Chloride Sodium Bromide Lithium Bromide Potassium Bromide Ammonium Bromide Sodium Iodide Lithium Iodide Ammonium Iodide Potassium Iodide Rubidium Iodide Rubidium Chloride Rubidium Bromide Sodium Acetate Sodium Tartrate Sodium Ascorbate Sodium Citrate Lithium Acetate
Potassium Acetate Perchlorate Potassium Fluoride Hydrochloric Acid Potassium Hydroxide Lithium Chloride Barium Chloride Calcium Bromide Calcium Chloride Magnesium Chloride Calcium Acetate Magnesium Sulphate Caesium Chloride Caesium Bromide Caesium Iodide Sodium Sulphate Sodium Nitrate Lithium Sulphate Potassium Sulphate
is shown in Figure 2, which compares the time/intensity profile of potassium chloride with that of sodium chloride. Sodium reduction obtained by simply substituting a proportion of the sodium chloride with potassium chloride is the easiest option for manufacturers. However, masking the undesirable sensory attributes associated with potassium chloride remains a problem. Potassium lactate can be used to reduce the amount of salt present while maintaining a certain level of perceived saltiness. It is most commonly seen in the processed meat sector. As previously mentioned, salt in processed meat products helps control the water content and therefore plays a key role in the microbial stability of the products. Potassium lactate is derived from organic lactic acid, a component naturally present in meat and other food products, thus meaning it is not
declared as a preservative but as an acidity regulator or an antioxidant. Magnesium sulphate provides both a bitter and a salty taste, depending on its concentration (Delwiche et al., 1995; Lawless et al., 2003). At low levels, it is associated with a salty taste compared to at high levels, being bitter (Shallenberger, 1993). For this reason, it may have the potential to be used as a salt replacer. Research published by Breslin and Beauchamp (1995) states that magnesium sulphate has a suppressing effect on saltiness at intermediate concentrations of sodium chloride. At higher concentrations, magnesium sulphate had no influence on the saltiness of sodium chloride.
Salt Enhancers
A second approach to salt reduction is to use salt enhancers, which are substances that do not have a salty taste in themselves, but enhance a salty taste
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Which of the following would you NOT want in your foods & drinks? (n=306) 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
Hig e cos Glu se cto Fru er owd kP Mil lic Gar milk ole r Wh owde p e tros Dex ed egg der Pow ar Sug e ros Suc ned d milk ete nse Swe onde s c ive vat ser Pre ds noi ote Car il mo Pal n ena age Car m r gu Gua um ng tha Xan x swa ride Bee chlo ium ass Pot t l fa ma Ani ax aw nub Car es itiv Add llac She s d foo GM ial rs ific ne Art weete s rs be um En ine traz avors Tar fl ial ific Art gs G orin MS al col i ific Art cal ts mi ien Che ngred i at ns f Tra t h fa Hig lt h sa mil ed mm r Ski owde p k
Figure 1. Potassium chloride is considered by consumers to be less undesirable than a multitude of other ingredients.
when used in combination with sodium chloride. A range of ingredients is reported to act as salt enhancers, including products such as amino acids, monosodium glutamate, lactates, yeast products, and other flavorings. Taste enhancers work by activating receptors in the mouth and throat and they help compensate for the salt reduction and enhance flavor. A study carried out at Leatherhead Food Research looked at the salt-enhancing effects of the amino acids glycine, glycine ester, lysine, taurine, and arginine in soups, snacks, and bakery applications (Angus et al., 2005). Glycine ester successfully compensated for salt taste in products with a 30% reduction in their salt content. It was most successful on chips but it also contributed a sour note. In the other products, it imparted levels of sourness, bitterness, and umami to the profile. Interestingly, the enhancement properties of this amino acid were not seen in products containing typical levels of salt; it wasnt until some of the salt was removed that these effects were seen. Lysine, arginine, and taurine had no consistent enhancement effect on salt perception in solution or in food.
Intensity
sweetness
NaCl concentration
Sodium chloride saltiness
Source: Dzendolet & Meiselman, 1967
Intensity
KCl concentration
Potassium chloride saltiness
0.2M
0.06M
Figure 2. Comparison of the time/intensity profile of sodium chloride and potassium chloride.
Using MSG in certain savory foods can help in reducing the sodium content. Although glutamate is not salty itself, using a small amount of glutamate in low-sodium products can be effective. MSG contains only one-third of the amount of sodium in table salt and is used at much lower levels, meaning that the sodium level in the finished recipe can be reduced by as much as 30%. MSG dissolves easily in water, absorbs no moisture, causes no agglomeration, and gives the food a characteristic umami or savory flavor. Research has shown that people find food with low levels of salt much more acceptable when a small amount of MSG is added. For
example, in a study by Prescott and Young, consumers responses to a clear soup with and without MSG and with differing levels of salt were evaluated. Without the addition of MSG, the soup did not become palatable until the salt concentration reached 0.75%. With additional MSG, however, the soup was palatable with a salt concentration of only 0.4% (Prescott and Young, 2002).
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Table Salt
Microfine Salt
Source: Leatherhead Food Research, 2007
Figure 3. Examples of salt crystals of varying dimensions. (Image width approximately 1,000 m.)
shown to have a low or even negative effect on salt perception and a positive effect on sweetness (Lawrence et al., 2009).
Table Salt
Figure 4. Time/intensity profiles of three types of salt crystals confirm that the smaller particle sizes result in a more rapid release and an overall higher salt intensity than the larger particle sizes.
perception is detected for both flavor and saltiness with increasing viscosity. Some effects are dependent on the type of thickener. For example, flavor and taste perception of xanthan gum solutions are unaffected by viscosity at concentrations well above c* (Morris, 1994). In food systems thickened with different starches, the viscosity-induced flavor and taste perception is much
smaller than for HPMC. The perceived taste with starch solutions was found to be related to the efficiency with which the solution mixes with saliva in the mouth. Starch pastes, where the granular structure is largely retained, mix efficiently, and this is responsible for their different mouthfeel and increased flavor perception in comparison to random coil polysaccharides (Ferry et al., 2006).
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volatile aroma compounds from the food matrix, therefore improving the aroma of the product. Salt effectively changes the osmotic pressure in a given product and makes the volatile aroma compounds less soluble in the food matrix. Hence, these volatile compounds are more easily released into the atmosphere as an aroma. In terms of the flavor, it could be argued that the main challenge in reducing salt in meat products is not in fact the reduction in saltiness itself but the loss of impact on enhancing the meaty and savory flavors in the product. A further technical challenge is that salt also interacts with meat proteins, in particular the myofibrillar proteins which are then extracted and enabled to bind water that is retained within the meat product. Therefore, reducing salt in meat products may
lead to products that are different texturally as well as in terms of their flavor profile. Phosphates are commonly used in processed meat products to extract protein and help with water binding. Even though sodium phosphates contribute to the overall sodium content of the product, they can allow a reduction in the amount of sodium chloride needed for protein functionality and therefore reduce the overall sodium content in the product. In addition, potassium phosphates can be used instead of sodium phosphates. In reality, sodium can only be reduced to a threshold level because a certain amount of salt and phosphate is essential for acceptable texture and flavor. However, it is claimed that sodium can be reduced to levels of 3050% without negatively affecting the flavor by
replacing it with potassium in both the salt and phosphate and using flavor enhancers and masking agents to overcome the bitter notes sometimes associated with potassium. The salt substitutes commonly used in meat products are potassium chloride, spices, and natural flavors. Blends containing masking agents are also used. An alternative technology, described in Meat International, is the use of pre-rigor meat. This is commonly used in sausage products due to increased protein functionality when compared with post-rigor meat. This increase in functionality occurs because myosin and actin are not permanently bound as actomyosin. The use of pre-rigor meat allows for the use of less sodium because less salt is needed to extract the myofibrillar proteins. The myofibrillar proteins in the form of actin and
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Claim
Lower sodium sea salt will continue to gain popularity as consumers are becoming more health-conscious and seek new better for you options. Furthermore, the growth of the market for salt replacement ingredients will gain steam as new innovations are developed and become available to food manufacturers. As has already been discussed, many food ingredient companies for some time have been putting resources into producing quality salt replacers that not only offer technical similarities to salt but also the same sensorial properties. The potential future growth of this market is dependent on international governments push to tackle salt reduction in the food
sector and the influence that salt reduction campaigns have on consumer purchasing. FT This article is based on a report Salt Reduction from Leatherhead Food Research. For more information, please visit http://www.leatherheadfood. com/salt-reduction-report or contact Matt Incles at mincles@ leatherheadfood.com.
Wayne Morley, Ph.D., (wmorley@ leatherheadfood.com) is Head of Innovation, Leatherhead Food Research, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 7RY UK.
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REFERENCES
Angus, F., Phelps, T., Clegg, S., Narain, C., den Ridder, C., and Kilcast, D. 2005. Salt in Processed Foods Collaborative Research Group. Leatherhead Food International. March. Baggs, C. 2009. Balancing Taste, Prepared Foods, Nov. 49-53. Baines, Z.V. and Morris, E.R. 1987. Flavour/Taste Perception in Thickened Systems: The effect of guar gum above and below c*. Food Hydrocolloids 3: 197-205. Bertino, M., Beauchamp, G.K., and Engleman, K. 1982. Long term reduction in dietary sodium alter the taste of salt. Amer J Clin Nutr. 36: 1134-1144. Bidlas, E. and Lambert R.J.W. 2008. Comparing the antimicrobial effectiveness of NaCl and KCl with a view to sodium replacement. Intl J of Food Micro. 124: 98-102. Blais, C.A., Pangborn, R.M., Borhani, N.O., Ferrell, M.F., Prineas, R.J., and Laing B. 1986. Effect of dietary sodium restriction on taste responses to sodium chloride: a longitudinal study. Amer J of Clin Nutr. 44: 232-43. Breslin, P.A.S. and Beauchamp, G.K. 1995. Suppression of bitterness by sodium: variation among bitter taste stimuli. Chem Senses. 20(6): 609-623. Burney, D.H. and Lucas J.A. 1966. Gustatory cross adaptation between salts, Psychonomic Sci. 4(8): 301-302. Charlton, K., MacGregor, E., Vorster, N.H., Levitt, N.S., and Steyn, K. 2007. Partial replacement of NaCl can be achieved with potassium, magnesium and calcium salts in brown bread. Intl J of Food Sci and Nutr. 58(7): 508-21. Delwiche, J.F., Halpern, B.P., and Desimone, J.A. 1995. Anion Size of Sodium Salts and Simple Taste Reaction Times. Physiology & Behavior. 66(1): 27-32. Devlieghere, F., Vermeiren L., Bontenbal, E., Lamers, P-P., and Debevere, J. 2009. Reducing salt intake from meat products by combined used of lactate and diacetate salts without affecting microbial sta01.12 www.ift.org
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