We continue to get good questions in the comments section of this blog. Recently, we heard from a reader who wanted to know more about using different salt crystal shapes and the steps that need to take place to bring a new food product to market. Those questions can be found here. One of the things we are studying is the way a chip “holds” salt and salt perception. When you eat a chip, only about 20 percent of the salt actually dissolves on the tongue before the chip is chewed and swallowed while the other 80 percent is swallowed without contributing to the taste. Chips actually have comparable amounts of sodium (from salt) to other foods, such as breads and cereals, but those taste less salty because the salt is mixed in, while chips tend to taste more salty because the salt is usually on... Read more

We often receive questions about the role of sodium in the diet. It surprises people to know that dietary sodium actually has an important role in maintaining health. Sodium is an essential mineral or micronutrient which along with potassium helps to regulate the body’s fluid balance.  However, when consumed in excess (as sodium chloride or common salt), it can raise blood pressure and contribute to death and disability from heart disease and stroke. A recent report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that 9 out of 10 Americans exceed the limit recommended for daily sodium intake. In fact, for the group of Americans whom a lower dietary intake of sodium is important, the amount of sodium consumed was more than double the recommended limit. The CDC report also showed that only 9.6% of U.S. adults were below the recommended dietary limit of 2,300... Read more