Cheese with less salt and a clean label

Scientists at Nizo Food Research of the Netherlands have worked with Vion Food Group and FrieslandCampina to develop a natural method of reducing salt levels in cheese and meat products, they say. The Sodium Minus project has been running since 2008 and has enabled the participating food manufacturers to reduce salt levels.
FrieslandCampina has been able to introduce Milner cheese with 40% less salt and Vion Food group has cut out 800 tonnes of salt from its gammon and bacon products in the UK. The team use a combination of salt replacers, and then add masking agents, flavour enhancers and top notes. For different cheeses and meats, the exact composition of the solution varies, but the approach remains the same.
Reducing the salt content in cheese and meat is not a straightforward process because salt plays a key role in flavour and aroma development as well as preservation and texture, the scientists say. The main concerns in reducing salt are flavour and aroma. Aroma is intimately connected to flavour perception so one of the key challenges was the identification of aromas that create a perception of saltiness.