Sodium's sticking point: Meat and poultry processors continue to battle to reduce sodium in their products, but it’s not always an easy feat to accomplish without affecting functionality or taste.
For consumers, whether for better or worse, salt is a universally recognized ingredient. In meat and poultry processing, salt is a multifunctional ingredient and plays several critically important roles. For example, salt is an important water binder along with being necessary for product texture and mouthfeel. It also aids in bacterial suppression and is an important flavor component, among other functional benefits.
To elaborate, salt provides chloride ions, which dramatically improve the ability of meat proteins to bind and hold water during processing and cooking, says Joseph Sebranek, Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in agriculture and life sciences at Iowa State University in Ames. “The result is a succulent, moist, tender product,” he explains.