A consumer-based approach to salt reduction: Case study with bread.

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Sensory Science
• Public Health Nutrition

Background:

• High sodium intake is a global health concern.
• Reducing salt in processed foods is challenging due to consumer perception.
• Gradual salt reduction is recommended to mitigate negative sensory impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a consumer-based approach for gradual salt reduction in bread.
• To determine consumer perception and hedonic response to reduced salt levels in bread.
• To assess the feasibility of cumulative small salt reductions in food products.

Main Methods:

• Two consumer studies involving 303 participants.
• Paired-comparison tests to determine salt difference thresholds.
• Two-bite sensory and hedonic evaluation of bread samples with varying salt content.

Main Results:

• Average salt difference thresholds ranged from 9.4% to 14.3%.
• Salt concentration significantly influenced overall consumer liking of bread.
• Heterogeneous consumer responses revealed distinct preference groups for salt reduction.

Conclusions:

• Cumulative small salt reductions in bread are feasible without compromising consumer liking.
• Consumer perception is crucial for designing effective gradual salt reduction programs.
• This approach supports reducing dietary sodium intake through processed foods like bread.