Label-Friendly Sodium Reduction - Made Possible with Alberger® Flake Salt

For food manufacturers who want to lower sodium levels in the foods they make without changing their ingredient declarations, Alberger® Flake Salt may be a solution. Alberger® Flake Salt is just that – salt – with an average purity level of 99.86% sodium chloride, but because of the unique structure of the Alberger® Flake Salt crystals, manufacturers can use less salt in food products and still achieve the flavor consumers desire. Thanks to this unique sodium reduction solution, achieving a label-friendly product with lower sodium levels may now be possible.

The “clean label” trend is one that has been happening in the food industry and is projected to continue its rapid rise in the coming years.¹ In a recent proprietary consumer study, Cargill found that people believe “clean label” means that the product may be natural, minimally processed, and may contain familiar ingredients, though perceptions of “clean label” vary since there’s no official Food and Drug Administration definition, and the term is based largely on consumer perceptions.² That being said, 77% of people are at least somewhat likely to seek out “clean label” products,² and nearly just as many are willing to pay more for food products they consider to have a “clean label”.¹ It’s also apparent that the vast majority consumers are striving to reduce their sodium intake, especially within food categories that are generally higher in sodium, such as in snacks and convenience foods.^3.4

A common way that food manufacturers may reduce sodium in their products is by using salt replacers that have different mineral compositions beyond just “sodium chloride.” While these replacers can be effective solutions, they may also cause changes to the ingredients such that another mineral may need to be added to the ingredients list.

With Alberger® Flake Salt, however, food manufacturers may be able to achieve up to 53% lower sodium levels by volume compared to using standard granulated salt, all without affecting the overall product integrity and without changing ingredient labels.⁵ Figuring out exactly how much sodium can be reduced using Alberger® Flake Salt varies based on the application type and might require some technical know-how. That’s why Cargill Salt will partner with food manufacturers to provide the expertise, tools, and resources to help develop the right label-friendly salt formulations for their food products that meet consumer demand.

To learn more and to review our complete line of Alberger® Flake Salts, visit our website or call 1-888-385-SALT. For a simple, dependable, and flexible order process, become a member of CargillSaltStore.com!

Sources:

1. https://www.foodinsiderjournal.com/clean-label/75-consumers-will-pay-extra-clean-label-ingredients
2. Cargill Proprietary Research: IngredienTracker™ - Wave 4
3. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sodium/75-of-americans-want-less-sodium-in-processed-and-restaurant-foods
4. https://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm315393.htm
5. Cargill Sensory Research, 2013.
   1. *Testing completed by Cargill on specific applications. Results may vary.