Processing Challenges of Sodium Reduction

Concerns regarding sodium reduction are not new in the meat industry. For over 20 yr researchers have been investigating means to reduce the sodium content in muscle foods. It has been well established by the medical community that high sodium diets can lead to and also exacerbate hypertension (Frost et al., 1991; Law et al., 1991a,b; MacGregor et al., 1994). This, in turn, has motivated processors to find ways to remove sodium (usually added in the form of table salt, or NaCl) from products. Unfortunately, past reactions to sodium reduction have been a little knee-jerk, and careful attention was not paid to how these reductions affected product functionality and palatability. As a result, many “low sodium” or “no sodium” products placed into the market were judged as inferior in performance and flavor by consumers when compared with their higher sodium counterparts (Nolan 1984). Many consumers, therefore, have had poor experiences with “low sodium” products, and hence it is difficult for these products to consistently maintain shelfspace at the retail market. The food industry must focus on reducing current levels of sodium as much as possible while maintaining product palatability (Nolan, 1984; Mattes, 1997; Desmond, 2006) and functionality. It is important, therefore, for the industry to constantly push the envelope downward regarding the use of sodium in products. Nachay (2008) emphasized the importance of food processors reducing salt in their formulations by indicating 75% of consumer salt intake comes from processed foods. It was also pointed out that consumers ingest twice the level of salt as recommended by both the US Department of Health and Human Services and the American Heart Association (2,300 mg/d). The industry should not be complacent with the acceptance of sodium content in food; it should always be looking for ways to utilize the least amount possible in its formulations. Even small changes in the total sodium of a product, when considering additive effects in the diet, can be health beneficial.