Replacing ingredients like nitrites and phosphates takes planning to avoid inferior or cost-prohibitive products. 

Late last year, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 — jointly published by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services — decisively told Americans to limit foods and beverages higher in four areas: sodium, added sugars, saturated fat and alcohol. 

Enhancing the meat-eating experience and improving overall value of meat products has been a longtime goal for processors. There have been some incredible advancements in the ingredients that improve texture, binding and water-holding capacity.

The three major functional ingredients areas — salt, sodium nitrate and lactates such as sodium lactates and sodium diacetate — have the biggest impact on food safety, shelf life and product quality. 

Salt contributes much to meat products — flavor, water-holding capacity and food safety. The top challenge for meat and poultry processors is that sodium comes primarily from the sodium chloride in brines, marinades and seasonings along with the leavening agents in batters and breadings and the sodium bicarbonate in bread crumbs.