Reduced Sodium Content Research Articles

Reducing Sodium Content of Foods Served in Arkansas's Largest School District: Evaluation of the Sodium Reduction in Communities Program.

Purpose and ObjectivesThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Sodium Reduction in Communities Program aims to reduce dietary sodium intake through policy, systems, and environmental approaches. The objective of our study was to evaluate changes in sodium levels over 5 years (2016–2021) in food served in school lunches as an outcome of a Sodium Reduction in Communities program in Arkansas’s largest school district.Intervention ApproachWe collaborated with Springdale Public Schools (SPS) to reduce dietary sodium intake in school lunches through increased implementation of 1) food service guidelines, 2) procurement practices, 3) food preparation practices, and 4) environmental strategies. These activities were maintained from year 1 through year 5. Implementation priorities were informed each year by evaluation findings from the preceding year.Evaluation MethodsWe collected lunch service records and information on nutritional content of menu items for the 30 schools under the direction of SPS’s Child Nutrition Department. We used a pretest–posttest quantitative evaluation design to analyze annual changes in the sodium content of meals, from baseline through year 5.ResultsFrom baseline through year 1, SPS reduced sodium served per diner, per entrée offered, and per entrée served. These reductions were maintained from baseline through 5 years of follow-up. Mean sodium per 1,000 kcal per diner served was 1,740 mg at baseline and was lower in each of the 5 follow-up years: 1,488 mg (14% decrease) in year 1; 1,495 mg (14% decrease) in year 2; 1,612 mg (7% decrease) in year 3; 1,560 mg (10% decrease) in year 4; and 1,532 mg (12% decrease) in year 5. Energy served per diner remained stable.Implications for Public HealthOur study provides evidence for sustained sodium reduction strategies in a large ethnically and socioeconomically diverse school district, pointing to the potential benefit of implementing similar strategies in other school districts. The study also shows how program evaluation can be used to support sustainability.

Sensory acceptance of “Mackerel Burger” with reduced salt content as an alternative for school feeding

This study aimed to evaluate consumers’ acceptance of Serra Spanish Mackerel burgers (Scomberomorus brasiliensis) with reduced sodium content for school feeding programs. The variables studied were fish pulp (whole and washed) and concentration of table salt (1.5% and 0.75%) and monosodium glutamate (0% and 0.3%). The samples were subjected to the determination of sodium content and consumers’ acceptance test with both adults and children. The tests with adult consumers were performed in two Brazilian cities: Campinas, São Paulo State, and Matinhos, Paraná State, while the tests with children were carried out only in Matinhos city. The results were evaluated through an analysis of variance, Tukey’s test (p ≤ 0.05) and a frequency distribution bar graph. The tests with adults from both cities were compared by Student’s t-test (p < 0.05). Significant differences were observed in the sodium content of all formulations, which ranged from 199.26 mg/100 g (F7) to 517.76 mg/100 g (F2). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed in the acceptance tests with adult consumers for the attributes appearance, flavor, and overall impression between the two cities by t-test. For the consumer test with children, no significant difference was observed, with scores ranging from 6.67 to 6.75. The data suggest that the fish burgers can be part of school meals.

Alleviation of salt stress in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) plants by biochar-based rhizobacteria: new insights into the mechanisms regulating nutrient uptake, antioxidant activity, root growth and productivity

ABSTRACT Amendment of saline soils with biochar and rhizobacteria is a new technique to diminish the negative impacts of salt stress on plants. Hence, an original pot experiment was conducted in a glass greenhouse at the University of Tabriz to investigate the performance of salt-stressed (0, 6 and 12 dS m−1 NaCl) rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) plants in response to different biochar-related treatments (non-biochar, biochar, biochar-based Pseudomonas putida RS-198, biochar-based Azotobacter chroococcum RS-106 and both bacteria). The biochar-related treatments reduced sodium content, generation of reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation and enzymatic antioxidants in plant tissues while enhanced nutrient content, non-enzymatic antioxidants, main and lateral roots lengths and weights, main/lateral root length ratio, specific root length, root diameter, shoot length and weight, leaf area, chlorophyll content and seed and oil yields under saline conditions. The biochar-based Pseudomonas + Azotobacter was the superior treatment for reducing the harmful impacts of salt stress on rapeseed plants, which resulted in 83–109% and 69–115% improvements in seed and oil yields of this crop under moderate and high salinities, respectively. Therefore, inoculation of biochar with both rhizobacteria might be a novel approach for improving salt tolerance and productivity of rapeseed plants.

Reducing Sodium Content in Cheeses While Increasing Salty Taste and Fat Perception Using Aroma.

Excess salt (NaCl) and fat intake are major causes of chronic diseases, but reducing such components without affecting acceptability is a major challenge. Here, we set out to examine whether added aroma in lower salt cheese can enhance saltiness and fat perception. Low-salt cheese samples were grated through a homogenizer, and then aroma solution, sardine aroma (salt-associated), butter aroma (fat-associated) and a mix of sardine and butter aromas were added. The results confirmed that grating changes cheese texture, leading to induced taste perception. In addition, a significant saltiness enhancement was induced by sardine aroma and to a lesser extent by butter aroma, while significant fat perception enhancement was only induced by blended aroma. These findings show that aroma addition can be a strategy to compensate for sodium reduction in commercial cheese. Concerning fat perception, the addition of aroma can be a good strategy to compensate for low-fat in commercial cheeses. However, the mechanisms involved seem complex and need to be elucidated.

Kann eine Salzsubstitution oder -reduktion bei arterieller Hypertonie Arzneimittel ersetzen?

Nonpharmacological treatment is still an important supplement to the pharmacological treatment of hypertension. Thereby, either an elevated blood pressure can be lowered further or, alternatively, the use of antihypertensive drugs can be reduced. In the context of nonpharmacological treatment of hypertension, sodium restriction plays an important role. Sodium intake can either be reduced by lowering excessive dietary salt consumption or by the use of table salts with reduced sodium content. Lower dietary sodium consumption lowers blood pressure. This was controversial for a long time; however, now more and more observational and interventional studies have confirmed this fact. Nevertheless, some studies have shown an association of low salt consumption with increased mortality. This observation is explained by the so-called reverse epidemiology. This means that diseases with increased mortality, such as consuming diseases or severe heart diseases are associated with lowered food intake and as aconsequence, with lower sodium intake. In addition to sodium restriction, the use of so-called salt substitutes with lower sodium content is also effective in lowering blood pressure. In most of the salt substitutes examined so far sodium chloride is partly replaced by potassium chloride. Numerous investigations show that these salt substitutes lower blood pressure. From astatistical point of view side effects such as hyperkalemia are very rare; however, hyperkalemia is potentially life-threatening. Therefore, the broader use of these salt substitutes is principally helpful but these salts should only be used after medical consultation. Especially renal insufficiency and the use of certain drugs, such as potassium-sparing diuretics and blockers of the renin-angiotensin system increase the risk of hyperkalemia.

How to inform about sodium reduction on food labels?

AbstractExcessive sodium intake is a worldwide problem. Little attention has been paid to consumer perceptions and thoughts on how to report sodium reduction in food packaging. We aimed to investigate the opinion of consumers on the best ways to inform about sodium reduction on food labels. We held focus group sessions and performed a modified choice based conjoint analysis. Participants prefer packaging that has the front of pack nutrition label traffic light labeling and use of sentences informing the percentage of sodium content reduction. The blue color and the phrase that informs the percentage of sodium content reduction increase the probability of the consumer choosing a cracker with reduced sodium. These results allow the elaboration of labels for food with low sodium content that meet the expectations and desires of consumers, thus contributing to avoiding a low expectation or even rejection of the products just by looking at their packaging.Practical ApplicationsReducing sodium consumption is one of the most cost‐effective measures that countries could take to improve population health outcomes. This has been one of the most widely discussed issues of the 21st century. Several strategies have been developed to reduce the sodium content of foods. However, if consumers do not choose these products to buy these strategies will not have practical results. The results of this study allow us to identify the opinion and perception of consumers on the reduction of sodium in foods and on how to inform this reduction on labels. With the information obtained in this study, industries will be able to develop packaging with characteristics that will allow a greater probability of choosing foods with reduced sodium content.

Влияние продолжительности сухого созревания и состава посолочных веществ на белки высококачественной говядины

Meat quality largely depends on the maturation conditions and natural biochemical processes that affect its taste, aroma, tenderness, and technological properties. Dry maturation and technological processing attract a lot of scientific attention. The research objective was to study the effect of dry maturation time on the physicochemical parameters of high-quality beef, as well as the effect of a new curing mix on the properties of raw materials.
 The research featured dorsal-lumbar cuts of high-quality beef on maturation days 21 and 40. Matured meat was tested for the main components, the solubility of sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins, the hydrophobicity of myofibrillar proteins, protein oxidation products, and the activity of catalase and peroxidase. The chemical composition was evaluated depending on the dry maturation time using the arbitration method. The solubility of proteins was determined by the calorimetric method with a biuret reagent. The hydrophobicity of myofibrillar proteins was determined by bromophenol blue reaction, and the activity of catalase and peroxidase was determined by standard methods. Proteins were extracted with potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.2), while myofibrillar proteins were extracted with Tris-HCl and KCl buffers at pH 7.5 and 7.0. 
 The meat samples were deboned and salted using sodium chloride and a combined mix of 70% magnesium chloride and 30% sodium chloride. The solubility of myofibrillar proteins on day 21 increased by 23.95% but decreased by 14.1% by day 40. The solubility of sarcoplasmic proteins decreased continuously (22.10 and 31.12%, respectively). The obtained data matched the hydrophobicity of proteins. Dry maturation initiated protein oxidation, as demonstrated by carbonyl and sulfhydryl groups of myofibrillar proteins on maturation day 40 (27.85 nmol/L and 27.3 µmol/g of protein, respectively). Sodium chloride and its mix increased the extractability of proteins by 5.2 and 6.9% on day 21 and by 6.8 and 10.6% on day 40 but triggered protein oxidation.
 Muscle proteins of high-quality beef proved functional after 21 days of dry maturation. The new mix with reduced sodium content can be recommended for high-quality dry-aged beef production.

Effects of sodium chloride partial substitution with bitterness‐treated potassium and magnesium chloride on some properties of white‐brined cheese

Blocking bitterness imparted from salt replacers to develop nonbitter sodium‐free salts is a major challenge in the food industry and a potential strategy to improve public health. This study aimed to treat the bitterness of potassium and magnesium chloride and investigate the effects of partially substituting sodium chloride with different formulations of these treated salts on white brined cheese properties. An 80% reduction of sodium content (i.e. 2.69% in the control to 0.66% in one treatment) was achieved. Sensory testing showed that 50% sodium substitution with treated potassium exhibited higher overall and saltiness‐liking scores than the control. Substitution with treated potassium chloride increased bitterness acceptability score having a value of 7.8/9 at Week 4.

Effects of washing step and salt-addition levels on textural and quality properties in the chicken-surimi products

The massive wastewater from surimi manufacture and salt addition is controversial. In our previous study, a chicken-surimi (CS) product can be successfully developed from the spent-hen breast via 3 times of washing steps and 2.5% salt addition in the recipe. Due to the characteristics of broiler breast (higher protein contents in muscle), this study was to optimize the washing step for CS batter recovered from broiler breast and the salt-addition level in the CS-product recipe. The step of washing once with 0.1% salt solution showed no (P > 0.05) differences in the texture profile and color parameters (expect a* value) in CS batters compared to initial washing steps (a 3-step washing procedure). The CS batter obtained by this washing step had higher amino-acid contents than boiler breast and large Grade A egg and even fit adults’ daily essential amino-acid requirement. Besides, the lower (P < 0.05) water loss of cooked CS products during the storage (4°C) was shown beyond 2.0% salt addition in CS products. For efficient/ecofriendly extraction and sodium-content reduction, the washing once with a 0.1% salt solution and 2% salt addition in the recipe is recommended in the CS batter recovered from broiler breast and its products, respectively.

Effect of different types and concentrations of salts added toRequesoncheese on texture, sensory, and physiochemical characteristics

Different salts and concentrations (1% NaCl, 1.5% NaCl, 1% (1:1) NaCl/KCl, 1.5% (1:1) NaCl/KCl and 0.1% CaCl2) were used to elaborate Requeson cheese to evaluate yield, color, texture, physiochemical composition, and sensory characteristics. Yield, moisture, and protein content did not change among treatments (p>0.05). Fat content was higher (p<0.05) in the cheese without salt added. Adhesiveness was greater (p<0.05) in cheese with 0.1% CaCl2 and lowest in cheese without salt added. The a* value presented differences (p<0.05) among treatments. Cheese with 1.5% NaCl was the most accepted for its taste, followed by Requeson cheese with 1.5% NaCl/KC. In conclusion, the addition of CaCl2 to reduce sodium content in Requeson cheese is not recommended because change some characteristics of the cheese. However, the combination of NaCl/KCl at 1.5% could be used, since physicochemical, color, and texture characteristics were the same as the Requeson cheese with NaCl at 1.5%.

Sodium Levels in Pre-packaged Foods and Beverages Sold in Jamaica: A Label Analysis

Background: High salt intake is the main dietary risk factor for hypertension, one of the five leading causes of death, among Jamaicans. A large share of available pre-packaged products are ultra-processed, containing sodium well in excess of recommended healthy thresholds. Policymakers are advocating for reformulations and devising public education strategies to reduce sodium content which requires an understanding of the amount and variety of sodium compounds being used in products. Procedures: This study describes the sodium content of 5,008 pre-packaged products using food label analysis. Products were divided into 15 foods and 4 beverage categories. Descriptive statistics were used to present sodium data. Additionally, a keyword search for the terms “salt” and “sodium” was done to identify the type and variety of sodium-containing ingredients in each product. Findings: Approximately, 44% of products were high in sodium. In addition to salt (sodium chloride), other sources of sodium included 27 sodiumcontaining chemical additives identified from the ingredient listing. Ready-to-heat/eat foods, animal meat products, dry spices, seasoning, spreads and sauces contained the most sodium per serving. There was high variability in mean sodium levels within and across food and beverage categories. Conclusions: Overall, a large share of pre-packaged products in Jamaica are ultra-processed emphasizing the urgency for product reformulations and policies towards healthier levels of sodium. Keywords: Sodium; Food label; Blood pressure; Hypertension; Packaged foods; Beverages; Jamaica; Sodium reduction; Reformulation; Food policy

The Development of Smoked Mackerel with Reduced Sodium Content.

The World Health Organization recommends reducing salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) intake by 30% by 2025. Since smoked fish can deliver up to 4 g NaCl/100 g, the aim of this study was to develop safe, healthy and attractive smoked chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) with a reduced NaCl content. Two brines (5% and 10%) were used with different ratios of NaCl and potassium chloride (KCl). In each brine, 0%, 25%, 50% and 75% of NaCl was replaced by KCl, resulting in 1.3, 1.1, 0.9 and 0.6 g NaCl (5% brine), and 2.6, 2.0, 1.2 and 0.8 g NaCl (10% brine) per 100 g, respectively. Similar yield, nutritional, safety, texture and colour properties were found in most formulations. The most desirable taste attributes (negligible bitterness and adequate saltiness) were obtained with a 5% brine prepared with 75% NaCl + 25% KCl. Such conditions seemed to allow for obtaining an attractive product for conscious consumers.

Current Status, Recent Advances, and Main Challenges on Table Olive Fermentation: The Present Meets the Future

Table olives are among the most well-known fermented foods, being a vital part of the Mediterranean pyramid diet. They constitute a noteworthy economic factor for the producing countries since both their production and consumption are exponentially increasing year by year, worldwide. Despite its significance, olive’s processing is still craft based, not changed since antiquity, leading to the production of an unstable final product with potential risk concerns, especially related to deterioration. However, based on industrial needs and market demands for reproducible, safe, and healthy products, the modernization of olive fermentation processing is the most important challenge of the current decade. In this sense, the reduction of sodium content and more importantly the use of suitable starter cultures, exhibiting both technological and potential probiotic features, to drive the process may extremely contribute to this need. Prior, to achieve in this effort, the full understanding of table olive microbial ecology during fermentation, including an in-depth determination of microbiota presence and/or dominance and its functionality (genes responsible for metabolite production) that shape the sensorial characteristics of the final product, is a pre-requisite. The advent of meta-omics technology could provide a thorough study of this complex ecosystem, opening in parallel new insights in the field, such as the concept of microbial terroir. Herein, we provide an updated overview in the field of olive fermentation, pointing out some important challenges/perspectives that could be the key to the olive sector’s advancement and modernization.

Sodium Content in Takeaway Meals Sampled from Three Large China Cities

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate salt levels in popular hot takeaway meals in three large China cities, and to compare the difference in sodium content in different types of takeaway meals. Methods: We randomly collected a total of 4450 samples of 7 different types of takeaway meals, which were the most consumed by local residents from takeaway platforms. The main ingredients, auxiliary ingredients, as well as the weight used in takeaway meals were collected. The sodium content in takeaway meals was obtained by calculation. Results: Obtained results show that the sodium content in three large China cities is alarmingly high. Comparing medians (interquartile range) of takeaway meals from different cities, Beijing contained the highest sodium content per portion (1371.3 mg (890.3 - 2137.4)), followed by Hangzhou (1348.45 mg (694.25 - 1541.62)) and Shanghai (340.1 (259.75 - 942.25)). In addition, the sodium content between pasta and porridge, Chinese meals, and western meals show significant differences (p 0.05). Compared with Chinese Dietary Reference Intakes, the average sodium content exceeded dietary recommendations for one takeaway meal. The sodium content differed among takeaway meals prepared with various cooking methods and meats. Conclusion: Notable differences are detected in takeaway meals’ sodium content between several large cities in China. To meet China’s target salt intake, consumers in these cities are highly recommended to reduce sodium content in their everyday meals.

Exploring Alternative Salting Methods to Reduce Sodium Content in Blue-Veined Cheeses

Exploring Alternative Salting Methods to Reduce Sodium Content in Blue-Veined Cheeses

Sarcocornia perennis: A Salt Substitute in Savory Snacks.

Salt is the primary source of sodium in the human diet, and it is associated with hypertension and increased risk of heart disease and stroke. A growing interest in halophyte plants and food products containing this type of ingredient have been observed, to reduce the NaCl daily intake. In the present work, Sarcocornia perennis was incorporated as a food ingredient into crackers to replace the salt (NaCl) and to evaluate its impact on physical properties, water activity, nutritional composition, mineral profile, total phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and sensory evaluation. Concentrations of powder dried S. perennis from 1 to 10% were tested by replacing the initial salt content and adjusting the flour incorporation to the initial formulation. The incorporation of S. perennis had no relevant impact on cracker firmness, but it induced an increase in their crispness. Furthermore, the incorporation of this halophyte originated darker crackers, which was revealed by a decrease of L* and an increase of b* values. In terms of nutritional composition, the incorporation of S. perennis leads to the improvement of the snack’s nutritional profile, namely in terms of phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and minerals, highlighting the high content in potassium, magnesium, and phosphor. Crackers with a content of 5% of S. perennis were sensorily well accepted and this level should be considered the limit of incorporation accepted by the panelists. However, by substituting 1% NaCl for an equal amount of S. perennis, it is possible to obtain a 70% reduction in sodium content, which is an important contribution to reducing the overall salt content of the diet.

Sodium content of menu and commissary provisions in rural jail exceeds heart-healthy dietary recommendations.

This paper determined sodium provisions from a seven-day cycle menu and commissary at a rural Southwest County jail and compared it to Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) recommendations for sodium. A seven-day cycle menu and commissary items were used to determine sodium content for each meal and commissary pack. Estimates for the menu and commissary packs paired with the menu (commissary scenarios) were converted to a daily average of sodium and compared to DRI and DASH recommendations. Menu provisions provided 167% of daily DRI sodium recommendations and 256% of daily DASH sodium recommendations. The sodium content for individual commissary scenarios averaged 218% of DRI and 334% of DASH recommendations. Commissary items are notably high in sodium and if eaten can significantly exceed dietary recommendations. Small changes to one meal within the cycle menu and the inclusion of fresh or frozen produce could reduce sodium content to align with DRI and DASH recommendations.

Preparation and sensory analysis of pork hamburger with implementation of soy lecithin and reduction of sodium

The objective of the present study was to elaborate four pork hamburger treatments and to evaluate the parameters of appearance, taste, texture, color and aroma with the participation of untrained tasters through the sensorial analysis of acceptance by hedonic scale of nine points, in addition to examining the intention to purchase and indication for each treatment, formulation A, control treatment, treatment B with partial reduction of sodium content, treatment C with the implementation of soy lecithin and treatment D with implementation of soy lecithin and partial reduction of the sodium content. For the base formulation was made a mixture of coriander, garlic, onion, white pepper, ascorbic acid, added in pork leg and water. According to the Friedman test, treatment D obtained the best results for the appearance attribute. And the flavor was a question that presented a significant statistical difference (P

Combination treatment of high‐pressure and CaCl2 for the reduction of sodium content in chicken meat batters: effects on physicochemical properties and sensory characteristics

SummaryA combination of high‐pressure processing (HPP, 200 MPa, 10 min) and CaCl2 (0.2%, w/w) on the cooking loss (CL), expressible moisture (EM), textural properties (hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, chewiness and firmness) and sensory attributes of reduced‐sodium (1.25% NaCl) chicken meat batters (RCMB) was investigated. The results revealed that combining HPP with CaCl2 significantly decreased EM, elevated sensory properties and acted synergistically in reducing CL and improving hardness, chewiness and firmness, which enabled RCMB to obtain quality characteristics similar to those with high salt (2.5% NaCl) content. These changes brought about by combined HPP and CaCl2 could be attributed to increased apparent viscosity and proportion of immobilised water, enhanced rheological (elastic) properties and a denser, homogeneous protein gel network with evenly dispersed small fat globules. It is interesting to take advantage of the synergy between moderate HPP and low concentrations of CaCl2 to develop meat products with reduced sodium content.

Effect of reducing sodium chloride based on the sensory properties of meat products and the improvement strategies employed: a review.

Many consumers are concerned about the high levels of salt intake owing to the accompanied risk of chronic diseases. Due to this dietary concern, the food industry has recommended the reduction of salt content in many products. However, the addition of salt to meat products improves their quality and sensory properties, including saltiness, color, juiciness, and texture. Because quality deteriorations could induce decreased sensory scores owing to salt reductions, the challenges involved in improving the quality of reduced-salt meat products have been addressed. During the development of low-salt meat products, it is important to reduce sodium content and address the problems that arise with this reduction. Modified salt, organic acids, amino acids, nucleotides, hydrocolloids, high-pressure, ultrasound, electric pulsed field, and irradiation have been suggested as strategies to replace or reduce sodium content, and sensory scores could be improved by these strategies. Therefore, when developing a low-salt meat product, several perspectives must be considered and the latest technologies that could resolve this problem should be adopted.