AUGUST 20249Table 1. Common sodium-based food preservativesReplacement options for sodium chloride can include other salts (e.g., potassium, magnesium, or calcium chlorides, mag-nesium sulfate, potassium lactate), yeast extract, monosodium glutamate, or naturally high-glutamate extracts (e.g., hydro-lyzed vegetable extract, soy sauce, or broths). Depending on the sodium alternative, some can require flavor maskers, e.g., to cover bitter or metallic notes of potassium chloride or sour-ness of potassium lactate. Dry topical applications (e.g., snack foods) have additionally leveraged microstructure changes in the sodium chloride itself by increasing the surface area either by utilizing salt flakes or round hollow structures to increase saltiness perception. Within dairy powders, reduced lactose whey and hydrolyzed whey proteins have been effectively utilized to reduce sodium by up to 10 percent in macaroni & cheese and provide partial phosphate replacement and fat/moisture retention in meat applications, respectively. Both in-gredients provide savory umami notes via naturally occurring dairy minerals such as calcium and phosphate.Foods are a dynamic system in which formulation changes can impact intrinsic properties and their resultant antimicrobial impact. For example, the substitution of sodium chloride with potassium chloride has been shown to increase the antilisterial efficacy of salt in natural cheeses. However, if substituted at a lower use rate due to cost (nearly twice that of sodium chloride) or sensory impact, replacement with water or other fillers can increase available water in the cheese, thereby increasing the probability of listerial or spoilage outgrowth. Similarly, changes in susceptibility to microbial outgrowth when altering preservative use rate can occur in the replacement of sodium lactate with potassium lactate in deli meats and sodium propionate with clean-label alternatives (e.g., cultured wheat) in bakery items. Additionally, the molar equivalent of the salt cation must be accounted for, with a higher use rate of potassium- than sodium-buffered vinegar needed for equivalent delivery of acetate, the active antimi-crobial component of these preservatives. Likewise, when reducing or replacing high-sodium food items (e.g., aged or processed cheese) within a formulation, the level of the active component(s) providing safety and quality (lactic acid) must be maintained or accounted for in formulation. Due to these and other nuances, it is imperative to validate formulas for food safety and quality targets via challenge and/or shelf-life studies with appropriate microorganisms and study design.Due to sodium's multitude of functions within foods, strategies for its reduction must apply a holistic approach to maintain taste, texture, and preservation in application. A hurdle approach whereby layers of safety and quality protec-tion are formulated (via clean-label or conventional sodium replacers) or engineered (via processing or packaging) into the final food product may need to be employed. Foods are a dynamic system in which formulation changes can impact intrinsic properties and their resultant antimicrobial impactPreservative Food Applications Functions Sodium chloride Bakery, Meat, Seafood, Cheese & Dairy, Sauces & Dressings Pathogen and spoilage control, protein extraction, flavor Sodium lactate Meat, Seafood Pathogen and spoilage control Sodium acetate/diacetate Meat, Seafood Pathogen and spoilage control Sodium nitrite Meat, Seafood Pathogen and spoilage control, curing agent Sodium benzoate Beverage, Fruits & Vegetables, Sauces & Dressings Pathogen and spoilage control Sodium sorbate Bakery, Beverage, Sauces & Dressings Spoilage control Sodium propionate Bakery, Sauces & Dressings Spoilage control Sodium/disodium/trisodium phosphates Meat, Seafood, Bakery, Cheese & Dairy Stabilizer, leavening, acidity regulator, emulsifier Sodium ascorbate Meat, Seafood, Beverage, Fruits & Vegetables Antioxidant, acidity regulator, cure accelerator Sodium erythorbate Meat, Seafood, Beverage, Fruits & Vegetables Antioxidant, cure accelerator Sodium metabisulphite Beverage, Bakery Antioxidant
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