Focus Groups Provide Insight into Food Sector’s Sodium Reduction Efforts

Focus Groups Provide Insight into Food Sector’s Sodium Reduction Efforts

While providing valuable functions like preserving and leavening to the foods that make up the diet, overconsumption of sodium carries some health risks along with it.

Levels of consumption have led to its designation as a nutrient of public health concern. But the limited impact of public health campaigns to reduce sodium overconsumption has led many to conclude that the best strategy is to reduce sodium in the nation's food supply.

A new study supported by IAFNS uses interviews and focus groups with food professionals to explore the food sector’s sodium reduction efforts.

Common reasons sodium reduction strategies may not be implemented include a perception that ingredient labels with technical names may engender consumer distrust, increased costs, the presence of off-flavors, and a loss of preservative and other functions.

As a result, food industry professionals employ a variety of strategies including substitution and use of flavors. Some incorporate potassium chloride (KCI) in some form as a substitute. Flavor modification methods were prevalent, with particular focus on KCI and incorporating “umami” or savory tastes.

This most recent paper is one in a series on sodium reduction that IAFNS has supported, in addition to a key database of scientific articles on reduction strategies.