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doi:10.1094/CFW-53-1-0021 |
VIEW ARTICLE Is Sodium Reduction the Next Target in the “Better-For-You” Formulation Trend? B. B. Heidolph. ICL Performance Products LP, St. Louis, MO. Cereal Foods World 53(1):21-27. If you analyze the current market drivers in the baked-goods industry, you will observe a major focus on how to formulate better-for-you food by adding good ingredients and removing negative ingredients. There is little industry complacency regarding the topic of better-for-you foods. However, the bakery industry was somewhat complacent when it came to trans fatty acid reformulation. There was general acceptance that putting trans fatty acid content on the label would suffice, especially since most baked goods are not perceived to be healthy, that is until New York City decided to ban artificial sources of trans fatty acids from all foods served at restaurants by July 2008. So will sodium and salt be the next target? Just like trans fatty acids, it is difficult to replace the functionality associated with sodium chloride and other sources of sodium while maintaining the sensory characteristics of food products. Unlike trans fatty acids, the health implications of sodium and salt are not as validated or agreed upon among food industry experts and the medical community. Thus, the global food industry is left with many questions and decisions related to sodium and salt. Will sodium reduction improve the health of the population? Can you remove sodium chloride or other sodium-based ingredients and maintain the functional and sensory performance of food? Will consumers accept new products that are labeled reduced or low sodium? What is the future for the baking and grain-based industries in regards to sodium? What are the methods for reducing sodium in foods?
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