Salt cutting trend drives research

The research, which was funded by the soy sauce manufacturer Kikkoman, claimed using naturally-brewed soy sauce in processed foods could significantly reduce salt content.

Foods with a high salt content were reformulated with soy sauce by researchers, who then asked 200 consumers in the Netherlands, Japan and Singapore to evaluate the overall taste and flavour. The salt reduction in each country amounted to 32%, 34% and 35% respectively, said sensory expert Stefanie Kremer, who was involved in the study.

Focus ​

“You have to focus on the overall taste of a product,”​ she said. “Until now, many manufacturers have limited their research to the question of whether consumers find a product salty enough,” ​she added.

Meanwhile, baked goods supplier Lantmännen Unibake is the latest food business to sign up to the UK Department of Health’s 2017 salt pledge.

Taste or quality ​

The company, which manufactures baked products in its 23 bakeries across 18 European countries, said it would drive down salt content through innovation and without compromising taste or quality.

Lantmännen had previously signed up to and achieved the Food Standards Agency’s 2010 and 2012 salt targets, said Mollyanne Trumble, Lantmännen Unibake’s UK technical manager. “Signing up to the 2017 salt pledge shows our continued commitment to move forward in our salt reduction efforts,”​ she added.