Wraparound approach to formulation helps flavor offset sodium reduction

Comfort and indulgence rank high on consumers’ minds when it comes to food and beverages. Even so, their call for products that make them feel good and also support a healthy lifestyle continues to ring loud and clear.

The usual suspects — fat and sugar — rank high on the list of ingredients consumers don’t want to see. They are joined by sodium, a longstanding negative in the consumer mindset. But without salt, what happens to flavor?

In a recent issue of Baking & Snack magazine, Sensient Flavors’ Senior Marketing Manager Roger Lane tackled the issue head-on, noting that, “There are several ways to reduce sodium in snacks, but some of them come with taste issues that need to be dealt with.”

A ground-up approach to flavor looks at replacements and more

First, consider the market. More than 50% of consumers snack between two and three times a day. And right now, 40% are saying they snack to reduce stress. If manufacturers want to keep them engaged at that level, a focus on — and calling attention to — reduced sodium can help.

That means everything is on the table when it comes to formulation. For instance, not just swapping out sodium with alternatives, but also looking at masking agents and even the size and shape of the products themselves.  To help food and beverage producers in this quest, Sensient Flavors has created SensaSalt™ 2G, a proprietary blend of ingredients that can lower sodium 30% to 40%. The result is the ability to offer both flavor and a more appealing label to consumers.

“We have found that when used in conjunction with other sodium-reduction solutions, SensaSalt 2G works as a flavor enhancer to boost positive notes while reducing negative off notes,” Lane says.

Sensient knows how to create clean-label, transparent foods and beverages without sacrificing taste or quality. Let’s see what we can create together. And in the meantime, learn more about how Sensient is leading the flavor market when it comes to sodium reduction by reading the full article at Baking & Snack.