According to the FDA, “Americans consume on average 3,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day—nearly 50% more than the 2,300 mg limit recommended by federal guidelines for people 14 years and older.” This excess sodium sneaks into diets by way of packaged and prepared foods, as well as food service items, as a means for product spoilage prevention. It is almost impossible for consumers to control how much sodium is taken in without preparing every meal from scratch at home.
This overconsumption can lead to many health risks, including raised blood pressure and heart disease, which are becoming a big problem for many American adults. So how can food and beverage manufacturers and retailers help reduce the preservatives and the risk? To avoid sodium, nitrates and other preservatives, food and beverage manufacturers must find alternative food safety methods that prevent spoilage without adding health consequences.
One way to do this is with High Pressure Processing (HPP), which eliminates the need for harsh additives and chemicals. This growing food safety technology uses only water and extreme pressure to inactivate food and beverage spoilage organisms – no sodium or nitrates needed. Dr. Erroll Raghubeer, VP and Food Scientist with JBT Avure, says that “by using HPP, you can significantly reduce or even eliminate the use of sodium-containing preservatives such as sodium lactate, sodium diacetate, and sodium nitrite in deli meats, or sodium benzoate in wet potato salads, hummus and macaroni salads…” and “in the case of hummus, you can actually significantly improve the flavor, clean up the label, and reduce sodium by using HPP instead of sodium benzoate.”
Products that undergo HPP naturally remain fresh longer. Aside from the reduction of sodium and other food preservatives, the benefits of HPP for food and beverage products include food safety, shelf-life extension, color and nutrition protection, and brand protection.
With the growing concern for health, consumers are seeking out products that are fresh, natural, and contain no added preservatives. They want cleaner labels, real ingredients, and functional properties – shorter ingredient lists, less sodium, higher quality, real foods and beverages that will enhance their wellness, not put it at risk.
Learn more about High Pressure Processing and how it can help clean up product labels and extend shelf-life without sodium, nitrates, and other preservative additives here.
Sources:
https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/sodium-reduction
https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2012/05/29/Could-HPP-be-the-secret-weapon-in-the-battle-to-reduce-sodium
