A new approach to reducing salt while maintaining taste

IFT

The dangers of a high-sodium diet have been well documented, but a new technology devised by scientists from Washington State University could help reduce sodium in processed foods while retaining taste and texture.

The researchers used microwave assisted thermal sterilization (MATS) to kill pathogens without reducing flavor intensity, a common problem that occurs with retort, the current method used to help preserve food.

During the study, which was published in the Journal of Food Science, tasting panels evaluated mashed potatoes produced using both methods. An e-tongue assessed the impact of the reduced salt and the effect on the intensities of pepper, garlic, and other ingredients. Although pepper intensity remained the same for both fresh potatoes and those produced using MATS, it was reduced in retort processing.

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