Reducing salt intake with umami: A secondary analysis of data in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey

Abstract

Reducing sodium content in foods is an important public health measure to reduce salt intake and decrease the incidence of noncommunicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease. This study quantified the amount of salt intake that could potentially be reduced by using umami substances, including glutamate, inosinate, and guanylate, without compromising taste, for adults in the United Kingdom (UK). We used data comprised of 1834 adults aged 20 years and over from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS RP) 2016/2017–2018/2019. Four hypothetical scenarios in which the market share of low‐sodium foods accounts for 0%, 30%, 60%, or 90% of consumed products were considered in the analyses. Per capita daily salt intake corresponding to the NDNS RP food groups was calculated for each scenario, and the salt intake was aggregated by gender and age groups. Replacing salt with umami substances could help UK adults reduce daily salt intake by 9.09%–18.59% (9.21%–18.43% for women; 8.83%–19.43% for men), which is equivalent to 0.45–0.92 g/day of salt reduction (0.41–0.82 g/day for women; 0.50–1.10 g/day for men). The use of umami substances may serve as one method for the UK government to encourage salt intake reduction, particularly in the context of food product reformulation, as 80% of salt consumed in the country comes from processed foods. Empirical studies with sensory evaluation should be conducted to confirm consumer tolerance. The food industry should also be engaged in conversations regarding the addition of umami to food products in the United Kingdom.

Exploring the Multifaceted Nexus of Uric Acid and Health: A Review of Recent Studies on Diverse Diseases

“…Purine nucleotides are also umami components. Using nucleotide umami substances, such as guanosine 5'-monophosphate and inosine 5'-monophosphate, in combination with monosodium glutamate, has been reported to reduce salt intake without impairing taste [40]. Furthermore, the intestinal epithelium has a high demand for nucleotides for energy acquisition, proliferation, and innate immunity, and the significant increase in nucleotide substrate requirement during injury, infection, and wound healing is well known.…”

Identification, screening and taste mechanisms analysis of two novel umami pentapeptides derived from the myosin heavy chain of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)

“…Some studies showed that umami substances can be used as a substitute for salt, which may be able to help people reduce their salt intake thereby decreasing the risk of people suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCD), such as cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and stomach cancer. 1,2 The substances that can exert umami flavor contain nucleotides, free amino acids, peptides, organic acid, and their derivatives, 3 and among which umami peptides have attracted a great deal of interest from food-related scientists and entrepreneurs as a consequence of their natural and valuable features.…”