A Pinch off Salt

PURASAL is a solution to sodium reduction in processed foods - in response to the consultation on sodium reduction by the FSA.

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition UK have campaigned against high salt levels in diet and illustrated the link between high blood pressure and CV disease. This has resulted in recent hype concerning the high intake of Sodium in the UK. Consequently the food industry is under a huge amount of pressure to reduce the levels of salt in processed foods. Potassium lactate can be used to replace part of the salt, potassium lactate has excellent anti microbial properties and is widely used in a range of meat products.

With this pressure on manufacturers and retailers to provide the public with low sodium options, they are faced with increasing problems concerning shelf life and product safety. This is in addition to implementation of HACCP and GMP procedures to maintain a hygienic site of production. PURASAL P HiPure, (potassium salt of lactic acid) offers a natural way of replacing salt and can extend the shelf life in meat, poultry and fish products and also has benefits on yield, flavour and colour.

Potassium lactate is derived from organic Lactic Acid; a component naturally present in meat and other food products, this means it is not declared as a preservative but as an acidity regulator or an antioxidant.

Reducing the sodium content is not as simple as it may first appear. When removing an ingredient from a product, the concentration of the other remaining ingredients increases; including water. This may seem like the safest material to add to a product, however with increased water availability, the more susceptible the product becomes to bacterial growth.

With increasing legislation on pathogen growth, PURASAL can offer an effective intrinsic hurdle against growth in high-risk products such as meat, poultry and fish. By January 2006, Listeria growth is required to be at levels less than 100CFU/g or the product will be recalled, resulting in significant costs to both the retailer & the manufacturer.

Success Story
Purac have shown that PURASAL controls Listeria monocytogenes in uncured chicken 1.8% salt. In this case with increased water activity (Aw), water molecules are loosely arranged in the liquid. When solutes such as salt are added, the water molecules bind themselves to the surface of the solutes, changing the tertiary structure of the molecule. Without the presence of solutes there is little competition for the microbial cell so it is able to thrive when water activity is high.  PURASAL P HiPure, (potassium lactate) contains no sodium but behaves hygroscopically like a salt by binding free water in food products and decreasing its water activity.

Meanwhile the company has shown its ingredient to have a minimum inhibitory concentration of sodium lactate compared to NaCL (MIC value [mM]). Lower levels of Sodium Lactate are needed to inhibit growth of the specified micro-organisms compared to salt.

Other factors affecting growth of microorganisms include pH of the product processing & storage temperatures. There is an optimum pH and temperature for each microorganism at which growth is maximal. Deviations from these conditions will slow the growth rate.

The company also tested their ingredient by showing the effect of increasing levels of PURASAL and the inhibitory effect on the growth of Clostridium Botulinum in cooked chicken, in vacuum packaging.

Support for its Use
The company says that trade associations, retailers & manufacturers have already shown their support and commitment to this campaign and set targets for salt reduction over various product categories. With the use of PURASAL in meat & poultry products, salt can be reduced to a satisfactory level without compromising safety, flavour or health.

The costs associated with adding PURASAL HiPure P to a brine formulation can be offset against benefits in yield, flavour & colour improvements. However a simple brine formulation with PURASAL added at 3% in the final product will result in costs of approx 3p/kg.

A reduction in salt in a brine formulation with the addition of PURASAL will bring about equal reductions in water activity but increase the shelf life of the cooked ham for a further 15days compared to salt alone, illustrating the anti microbial effect of lactates.

PURASAL is a natural way of extending shelf life and enhances the intrinsic safety by controlling food borne pathogenic bacteria. Yield can be increasesd and the savoury flavour will be enhanced. The potassium salt is widely used to assure safety in meat products with a reduced salt content.’

For any further information on this topic please contact Erica Dykes at PURAC UK, e.dykes@purac.com

www.purac.com