Eating too much salt can have significant negative health implications, and modern processed food typically contains high levels of salt to improve taste and preservation.
But new processing technology out of Washington State University called microwave assisted thermal sterilization (MATS) could make it possible to reduce sodium while maintaining safety and tastiness.
In a new study published in the Journal of Food Science, WSU researchers found that the MATS processing, which uses microwave technology to kill any pathogens in food, doesn’t reduce the flavor intensity of other ingredients. The current method of food processing preservation, called retort, does reduce flavor intensity.
The study looked at mashed potatoes cooked fresh, using retort, and using MATS. They had tasting panels and used WSU’s e‑tongue to measure the impact of reducing salt and the intensity of other ingredients, like pepper and garlic.
Read more at Washington State University
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