Understanding Sodium Replacements from a Food Safety and Health Risk Perspective

This paper reviewed the use of sodium as a food safety intervention; evaluated the synergistic effects of sodium with approved food safety hurdles; identified food safety risks associated with sodium alternatives; assessed human health risks that may result from changes in dietary sodium and potassium; and evaluated risks of reduced sodium and sodium replacements for targeted at-risk populations.

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Objectives

The objectives of this review paper were to:

• Review the use of sodium as a food safety intervention;
• Evaluate the synergistic effects of sodium with currently approved hurdles on food safety;
• Identify food safety risks associated with the use of sodium alternatives. Risk may be affected both by decreased levels of sodium and by unique effects of the sodium-replacers;
• Assess human health risks that may result from changes in dietary sodium and potassium; and
• Evaluate risks of reduced sodium and sodium replacements to targeted at-risk populations.

Conclusions

Sodium chloride is an important nutrient and an essential ingredient in producing safe foods with acceptable texture and sensory characteristics. However, population surveys indicate that a great majority of people in industrialized societies consume much more than the current recommended amount of sodium chloride.  Reduction of sodium levels in the diet is considered one important strategy for reducing prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Other dietary and lifestyle changes, including increased exercise and intake of fruits and vegetables with high potassium levels and reduced intakes of saturated fats, are also important for good health.

In North American and European countries, processed foods and restaurant foods account for about 70 – 80% of dietary intake of sodium.  It is probably not necessary, for improving health, to lower salt concentrations in every food as long as overall dietary intake is reduced.  Individuals, particularly those who are salt-sensitive, need to control discretionary use of salt during cooking and at meals.  However, those who frequently eat restaurant meals and processed foods find it difficult to reduce total sodium intake.

Deliverable

Food processors face the challenge of reducing salt content in their foods while still producing safe, palatable, and economical foods. Surveys have demonstrated variation in sodium content in different brands of foods in the same category and in the same foods sold in different countries.  This indicates that reductions in sodium levels in many foods are possible. Potassium salts can partially substitute for sodium salts in foods but flavor issues arise if too much potassium is used. Although populations in industrialized countries generally ingest too little potassium, high dietary potassium levels may pose a risk for people with kidney disease. High dietary phosphate is also a concern for those with reduced kidney function.  Other substances used in reformulated, low-sodium foods are primarily compounds or extracts that have already been approved for use in foods.  They are considered safe at currently used levels but if their usage were to greatly increase, then safety might need to be reconsidered.  Some new products, such as plant extracts and hydrolyzed proteins from new sources should be tested for allergenicity as well as toxicity.