Nestlé collaborates with US firm to develop salt alternatives

Swiss food company Nestlé is collaborating with US bio-tech firm Chromocell to identify compounds that can be used to enhance taste in a range of foods, as part of its efforts to develop alternatives to salt.

Chromocell will use its proprietary ‘Chromovert’ technology to screen several ingredients in order to determine if they offer similar tastes to salt.

Nestlé is investing $15m in the collaborative research as part of its focus to improve the nutritional and taste profile of its products.

The two companies also expect to discover new flavours in the process which can be used in foods.

This initiative could help Nestlé to cut the amount of salt used in its products; in the last decade, the company has removed over 12,000t of salt from its food products across the world.

Nestlé’s Food Strategic Business Unit research and development manager Sean Westcott said that the collaboration with Chromocell aims to recreate the flavours consumers expect from culinary dishes, but with reduced salt.

"We are ultimately aiming to offer consumers more low-salt options for making tasty and pleasurable everyday meals for themselves and their families," Westcott added.

The collaboration project is expected to last for at least three years.

Chromocell Corporation identifies and develops new food and beverage ingredients using naturally occurring systems that mimic human biology.

Salt, which has a unique and strong taste that can overwhelm other flavours, is important to the human body, but its over-consumption can have a negative impact on health.

According to World Health Organization recommendations, an adult should consume no more than about one teaspoon of salt every day.

Nestlé has introduced several salt-reduced food products in the recent past – in 2011, the company launched Equilive, a new range of soups, seasonings and bouillons with low salt, in Chile.