Givaudan has developed new proprietary technology that will help food manufacturers address the issue of high salt levels in processed foods. 


Givaudan has developed new proprietary technology that will help food manufacturers address the issue of high salt levels in processed foods. 

As part of its TasteSolutions programme, Givaudan has developed an extensive portfolio of building blocks and ingredients to help its flavorists enhance salt perception in low sodium applications. “Givaudan understands that high levels of salt in foods are no longer acceptable to the consumer, but we also know that great tasting food does not have to be high in salt,” says Andreas Haenni, Givaudan’s global head of savory. “Our approach is one of asking what makes food taste great rather than just thinking of salt in isolation.”

Givaudan continues to invest in sensory validation techniques to prove and measure flavor performance and is developing a salt curve: a visual representation of the taste effects of sodium chloride over time. The taste impact of salt is broken down into a number of phases: first delivering a distinctive initial mineral bite, then a body or mouthfeel phase, followed by a characteristic clean, lingering profile.

Rather than trying to replace salt, Givaudan looks first to understand its taste functionality in the customer’s application. Then a flavor is created which builds back those important taste aspects of the salt curve needed to drive consumer preference when sodium levels are reduced.

Givaudan tailors solutions to meet regulatory and cost constraints, including natural flavors which can also be allergen and MSG free or kosher and halal, if required. Significantly, Givaudan has technology which enables it to develop flavors that, unlike most other companies’ alternatives, do not rely on the use of potassium chloride, if the customer prefers not to use it.

Givaudan
+41 (22) 780 9111
www.givaudan.com