Magnesium salt blend delivers simplified sodium reduction for F&B

Nedmag has introduced Novasal Blend, a mineral salt blend that delivers sodium reduction as a direct replacement for regular salt in product development and commercial production. For formulators, the Netherlands-based specialist in magnesium-based solutions states that the blend requires no recipe changes or process adjustments.

Novasal Blend combines sodium chloride with Novasal Pure, Nedmag’s magnesium salt ingredient. Nedmag says it is the first “ready-to-use” sodium reduction salt blend based on magnesium, and developed specifically for direct substitution.

By replacing part of the sodium with magnesium chloride, it helps create products with less sodium and more magnesium (a mineral with strong positive consumer perception), without additional formulation complexity.

“With Novasal Blend, we are taking the next step in making sodium reduction simple and practical,” says Willem-Jan Bakker, business development manager for food at Nedmag. “Food producers are under increasing pressure to reduce sodium, but they also need solutions that are easy to apply.”

Ingredient applications

Nedmag’s salt replacement targets food manufacturers, product developers, chefs, and commercial teams across retail, food production, and foodservice. Compatible categories include bakery, dairy, soups, plant-based products, meat, fish, and prepared meals.

The company identifies soups, sauces, and ready meals as particularly well-suited applications, where simple formulation and easy incorporation into existing recipes carry the most operational value.

Novasal Blend can be used to replace or reduce salt in categories such as baking and cheese production.All components are sourced from the Zechstein Sea, which Nedmag says allows for consistent quality and a reliable European supply.

“As demand grows for healthier products that still deliver on taste and quality, food manufacturers need solutions that fit into real production environments,” Bakker adds. “That is exactly what we developed Novasal Blend to do.”

Sodium reduction without reformulation

The company also notes that the pressure on food manufacturers to reduce sodium is coming from multiple directions simultaneously. Public health bodies have been pushing sodium reduction targets for years, while retailers are setting their own nutrition profiling requirements.

At the same time, nutrition labeling systems like Nutri-Score create direct commercial incentives to lower sodium levels across a wide range of categories.

For manufacturers operating across multiple product lines and markets, Nedmag says the practical barrier has typically been the cost and complexity of reformulation — not the absence of motivation.

Nedmag says it is positioning Novasal Blend specifically as a response to that barrier — a solution that requires no recipe changes and no process adjustments, making it accessible to producers who want to act on sodium reduction targets quickly rather than over extended development cycles.

“Novasal Blend offers a direct 1-to-1 salt replacement that helps manufacturers reduce sodium by 30% without reformulation, while maintaining taste and technical performance,” Bakker emphasizes.

Moving the Nutri-Score needle

The company points out that its wider Novasal range already has a commercial track record that illustrates what magnesium-based sodium reduction looks like in practice.

In speculaas, the traditional Dutch spiced biscuit, Nedmag says 40% of the sodium salt was replaced with Novasal magnesium salt, producing a reduced-sodium biscuit that remains balanced, flavorful, and true to its traditional character.

In De Veendammer Old 50+ cheese, Novasal was used to reduce sodium while preserving flavor, texture, and ripening quality, while also contributing magnesium.

Also, in Mr. Kitchen’s Veggie Spread, Novasal helped move products from Nutri-Score B and C to A. Nedmag says this is a concrete example of how the ingredient can shift nutrition profiling outcomes without reformulation complexity.

Moreover, it states that these cases address the most common objection to sodium reduction ingredients — that they require trade-offs in taste, texture, or functionality. Nedmag’s position is that the magnesium-based approach avoids those trade-offs because the substitution is direct and the sensory profile is preserved.

“It offers a straightforward route to sodium reduction, backed by a unique magnesium source, and designed for broad applicability across today’s food industry,” Bakker stresses.