New formulation for producing salmon pâté with reduced sodium content.

Abstract Reducing consumption of salt, specifically sodium, is one of the most effective ways to improve public health. A novel formulation for producing salmon pâte with reduced sodium content was investigated. Salmon pâtes with three different sodium concentrations were evaluated using microbiological, sensory and chemical analyses. Saltwell®, a natural salt containing a mixture of sodium chloride and potassium chloride, was used for partial substitution of sodium chloride (table salt) alone in the formulation. Replacing 80 % of the sodium chloride with Saltwell®, resulted in a 22 % reduction in sodium, without affecting microbial activity. A trained sensory panel observed minor differences in three of the twelve sensory attributes that were evaluated (coherent texture, saltiness, canned fish flavor). However, these differences were only weakly significant. Saltwell is a viable alternative to sodium chloride to produce seafood products with reduced sodium content without compromising quality and safety.