Baking&Snack - July 2011 - 62

SODIUM REDUCTION

other ingredients and additives that contribute to the total sodium content in the product. OVERCOMING CHALLENGES. According to Ms. Arndt, salt not only acts as a flavor enhancer in yeast breads but also plays an important role in the functionality of the dough, affecting both the manufacturing process and finished product attributes. In yeast bread products, salt is traditionally used at about 2% (flour weight basis). Salt lowers yeast activity, which can help control the fermentation process and proof time. Salt also lengthens the mixing time needed for gluten development and strengthens the gluten matrix. In the final bread products, the formula salt affects the flavor as well as other important attributes such as the product volume, crumb appearance and texture. According to a report by Donald Dubois, Doris Blockcolsky and Patrick Dreese of the American Institute of Baking (AIB), Manhattan, KS, it is common knowledge that the addition of salt to a bread dough extends the mixing time required to develop the dough fully, and this is why many bakers use the delayedsalt method in commercial dough baking. The researchers studied the impact of salt on dough develop-

▲ Salt is not only a functional ingredient in baked foods but also an important flavor enhancer for consumers, which makes sodium reduction a challenge for bakers.
CONAGRA MILLS, INC.

2010 DGA is that Americans should focus on consuming more nutrientdense foods such as whole grains while reducing food components such as sodium. Thus, opportunities abound for bakery products with healthier formulations that reduce sodium. However, this may be easier said than done since sodium plays a crucial role not only in the sensory profile of baked goods but also in functionality. One of the first steps to consider is to understand the food system involved and the role sodium plays. The second step is to identify all sources of sodium in the product. Salt (sodium chloride) may be the first choice for reduction, but there may be many

ment. They found that reducing salt levels to as low as 1.8% helped not only achieve sodium reduction but also save energy through shorter mixing time while obtaining bread of good quality. However, because sodium acts to strengthen gluten, sodium reduction decreases dough resistance and induces dough stickiness. To address this issue, The Netherlands-based food research organization TNO developed Reuteran, an α1-4, α1-6 glucan produced by lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus reuterii, that acts synergistically with gluten to strengthen it. Addition of 2% Reuteran (flour weight basis) restores the bread volume lost when reducing salt by more than 50%. It helps overcome dough weakness and stickiness resulting from salt reduction without introducing buckiness or stiffness. Ms. Arndt described ConAgra Mills’ consumer sensory studies

▲ A new compressed flake salt, made with technology that allows its combination with other ingredients such as potassium chloride and/or sea salt, reduces sodium content while maintaining salt’s taste and appearance.
CARGILL

Sodium: Down for the Count Globally
Around the world, 32 different countries now pursue salt reduction initiatives, according to a first-of-its-kind study published in the June 2011 issue of the Journal of Hypertension. Central governments led 26 of these programs with nongovernmental or advocacy organizations managing five and industry one. “For most countries, implementing a national salt reduction program is likely to be one of the simplest and most costeffective ways of improving public health,” said the report’s authors, led by Jacqueline Webster from the University of Sydney, Australia, and senior project manager for the Australian Division of World Action on Salt and Health. Researchers found that 27 of the countries mounting such initiatives had high salt intake, 5 to 8 g per person per day. (Common table salt is 40% sodium, so 5 to 8 g salt contains 2,000 to 4,800 mg sodium.) The majority (19) of the salt reduction initiatives concerned Europe, with six in the Americas and seven in the Western Pacific Region. No salt reduction strategies were identified in Africa. Persuading people to consume less sodium is not easy. Education alone won’t do the job, according to researchers. Instead, they prescribed changes to the environment that make it easy for the population as a whole to consume less salt. “Providing low-salt alternatives without category-wide reductions in salt content is not acceptable since such products are typically very different in taste, will not be purchased by consumers and will be rapidly discontinued by manufacturers and retailers,” the scientists said. www.bakingbusiness.com

BAKING & SNACK / July 2011

http://www.bakingbusiness.com

Baking&Snack - July 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Baking&Snack - July 2011