Reducing the salt in our food
Researchers have been looking into how we can reduce the salt content in foods without compromising on taste.
Salt has many beneficial properties. It tastes good, and it increases the shelf life of our food and makes it easier to process many foodstuffs on an industrial scale. But it also contributes to cardiovascular diseases. Since 2008 researchers have been working on the “Low salt products” project with the aim of reducing, by as much as fifty per cent, the salt content in a number of foodstuffs. They have now achieved their goal.
Among their results is a new and simple method of measuring the salt content in a variety of foodstuffs, as well as more advanced measuring methods which can be applied in further research. Several organic salts which can act as salt substitutes were also tested. The researchers’ conclusion is that between 20 and 30 per cent of sodium salt can be substituted by less risky potassium salt without compromising on taste, or having a negative impact on industrial food processing. The project is run by SINTEF Fisheries and aquaculture.
