United States, August 27, 2010
|  Product developers are responding to public health concerns about the sodium content of processed foods. What sodium-reduction tactics are they using?
The methods food companies use to reduce sodium vary. Some plan simply to reduce the amount of salt in their products, achieving a barely perceptible or nonexistent difference in taste over time. Earlier this year, Kellogg’s announced its plan to reduce the level of salt in brands such as Corn Flakes® and Rice Krispies® products without using any salt replacement ingredients. However, many manufacturers would rather avoid this technique out of concern that even the slightest change in taste perception could upset consumer loyalty.
Other companies reformulate recipes, using various methods. Campbell’s sodium-reduction strategy involves using a combination of tactics: “Campbell’s has a strategy for getting all of our products down to a healthy level of sodium. We are using naturally sourced ingredients such as sea salt and herbs & spices, but we are working with ingredient companies as well,” says Bangs, who oversees Campbell’s development of reduced-sodium products.
Bumble Bee has a similar approach: “To date we have removed added salt from our formulations. The next phase of our sodium reduction is to develop salt replacements from blends of potassium and sodium chloride, sea salts, or flavorings/spices for our formulated products,” Melbourne says. Hence, for manufacturers seeking consistency in the taste and quality of their products, amending recipes to produce reduced-sodium foods predominantly involves making use of sea salt, herbs & spices, innovative salt replacement technologies, and taste enhancers. | | | |
| United States, August 26, 2010
|  Wendy’s/Arby’s Group is taking the Wendy’s restaurant slogan “Quality is Our Recipe” to a new level – this time, with all-natural French fries in test markets.
And interestingly, the new recipe comes at a time when Wendy’s French fries are already popular. A recent Zagat survey ranked Wendy’s fries fourth best, behind McDonald’s, Five Guys and In-N-Out Burger.
So why would Wendy’s make the change to an already successful snack? Simple: The move comes amid a flurry of other menu changes at fast-food restaurants that push for higher quality, healthful and natural ingredients.
Here are the details on the natural fries, and which Wendy’s test markets are offering them:
The snack consists of skin-on strips of real potato, cooked in special oil and are topped with sea salt. The oil is used specifically for cooking these new fries, and Wendy’s has even passed up table salt for the more natural evaporated sea salt. Wendy’s is currently testing the fries, in Florida, North Carolina and Louisiana. | | | |
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