Removal of electrolytes from institutionally packaged foods

Soaking and rinsing resulted in significant (p less than .01) reductions in sodium and potassium concentrations of peeled potatoes and hard-cooked eggs packed in brines containing sodium compounds and packaged for institutional use. In this study, no significant differences (p greater than .01) were found between soaking and rinsing in deionized water and in tap water; however, tap water can vary greatly in sodium and potassium content. Sodium and potassium levels of chopped lettuce dipped in sodium hypochlorite were not significantly (p greater than .01) affected by soaking and rinsing procedures. However, the sodium and potassium levels of the processed lettuce were not high relative to the levels of unprocessed lettuce before soaking and rinsing.