Reduced‐sodium cheeses: Implications of reducing sodium chloride on cheese quality and safety

Abstract

Sodium chloride (NaCl) universally well‐known as table salt is an ancient food additive, which is broadly used to increase the storage stability and the palatability of foods. Though, in recent decades, use of table salt in foods is a major concern among the health agencies of the world owing to ill effects of sodium (Na) that are mostly linked to hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. As a result, food scientists are working to decrease the sodium content in food either by decreasing the rate of NaCl addition or by partial or full replacement of NaCl with other suitable salts like potassium chloride (KCl), calcium chloride (CaCl2), or magnesium chloride (MgCl2). However, in cheese, salt reduction is difficult to accomplish owing to its multifaceted role in cheese making. Considering the significant contribution in dietary salt intake (DSI) from cheese, researchers across the globe are exploring various technical interventions to develop reduced‐sodium cheeses (RSCs) without jeopardizing the quality and safety of cheeses. Thus, the purpose of this study is to provide an insight of NaCl reduction on sensory, physicochemical, and technofunctional attributes of RSCs with an aim to explore various strategies for salt reduction without affecting the cheese quality and safety. The relationship between salt reduction and survival of pathogenic and spoilage‐causing microorganisms and growth of RSCs microflora is also discussed. Based on the understanding of conceptual and applied information on the complex changes that occur in the development of RSCs, the quality and safety of RSCs can be accomplished effectively in order to reduce the DSI from cheese.

Physicochemical Composition, Antioxidant Status, Fatty Acid Profile, and Volatile Compounds of Milk and Fresh and Ripened Ewes’ Cheese from a Sustainable Part-Time Grazing System

“…According to Lucas et al [18], the loss of these micronutrients during the manufacturing process may result from their oxidative degradation by atmospheric oxygen and light as well as partial loss into the whey. In our study, the retention of these fat-soluble compounds, in particular retinol, during the cheese-making process (Table 3), could reflect the following possibilities: (a) the vitamin A of milk decreased rapidly during the first hours of light exposure, but it did not decrease further afterwards [46]; (b) casein is able to fix large quantities of retinol and α-tocopherol, and retinol that is bound to casein better resists degradation [47]; and (c) the salting process mediates the physicochemical conditions that alter the macromolecular structures of both protein and lipid molecules, and these modifications are also related to the retention of compounds in the cheese [48,49]. The increase of some fatsoluble compounds in FC, such as α-tocopherol (Table 3), may appear surprising.…”

Effect of adding salty‐taste enhancers on physicochemical and microstructural characteristics of reduced‐NaCl UF cheese using mixture design methodology

“…The contour plots presented the highest pH value to be at the NaCl–arginine and arginine–oregano edges with a higher acidic value at oregano extract and NaCl vertexes (Figure 5). In a similar study, as the pH value increased, so did the sodium chloride concentration (Bansal and Mishra 2020). The pH reduction is an expected phenomenon during storage, due to the fermentation of lactose by starter microorganisms in the cheese.…”

Effect of Salt Content Reduction on Food Processing Technology

“… Find natural salt replacements that are non-toxic and metabolizable. In this way, partial or full substitution of NaCl with other salts like potassium chloride, magnesium chloride or calcium chloride [ 18 ] can be used. Furthermore, it is recommended to reduce salt intake gradually [ 19 ].…”

“…The salting of cheese has a direct effect on its sensory quality and technological properties. Therefore, salt reduction in cheese is difficult to put into practice [ 18 ]. Salt, along with a decrease in pH and other factors, affects the texture and the shelf life of cheese by blocking the growth of unwanted microflora.…”

“…The salt causes an increase in the osmotic pressure between the curd grains and leads to the release of whey. Reduction of the salt content in cheese can be done without affecting the quality by slightly reducing the addition of salt, its partial replacement with potassium, ammonium, or magnesium chlorides, or modification of the technological process [ 18 , 31 , 32 , 33 ]. Although technologists have been concerned with salt substitution or its reduction for a long time, this issue has still been the subject of research and development.…”