Innovations in sodium reduction: Integrating technologies in food reformulation

High sodium chloride (NaCl) consumption continues to represent a significant global public health concern due to its well-established association with hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. As processed foods are the primary source of sodium in the modern diet, reducing NaCl in food products presents both technological and sensory challenges. This review provides an integrative analysis of current approaches to sodium reduction across dairy, meat, seafood, and bakery products, focusing on methods that maintain product quality and consumer acceptance. Technological strategies include the partial substitution of NaCl with potassium chloride (KCl), calcium chloride (CaCl2), and magnesium chloride (MgCl2), along with the use of micro- and nanocrystals of NaCl to enhance saltiness perception and permit lower sodium use. Taste-modifying strategies involve saltytaste-enhancing peptides and the incorporation of herbs and spices, which are promising tools to preserve flavor profiles in reformulated products. The 2025 WHO guideline on the use of lower-sodium salt substitutes underscores their role in public health nutrition. WHO conditionally recommends the replacement of regular salt with Lower-sodium salt substitutes (LSSS) containing potassium to reduce blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular events in the general adult population. However, the guideline also cautions against their use in individuals with impaired potassium excretion, such as those with kidney disease. This review adopts the WHO terminology, emphasizing lower- and reduced-sodium products over "low-sodium foods," aligning with regulatory and health-based recommendations.