Dive Brief:
- Salt of the Earth Ltd. has launched the multi-purpose Umamix Bold, a new all-natural ingredient that can reduce sodium up to 30% and reduce the use of monosodium glutamate (MSG) in food products.
- Umamix Bold is non-GMO, contains no artificial ingredients, and is made of a proprietary blend of sea salt, tomato concentrate, and mushroom and seaweed extracts.
- CSPI has also released a report on the presence of sodium in the U.S. food supply. Over a 10-year period starting in 2005, the industry overall reduced sodium by 4%.
Dive Insight:
CSPI began its study with more than 500 packaged and restaurant foods, and by the end, 451 remained and were included in the final results. More than half (55%) of studied products decreased sodium in that 10-year time frame, 30% increased sodium levels, and 15% stayed the same.
In the same year CSPI began its study, the organization also petitioned the FDA and USDA to release guidance on mandatory limits for sodium use in packaged foods. After a decade of no response, CSPI sued the FDA last year, and earlier this year gave the agency until June 1 to respond to the petition. A report from Politico earlier this week and another from Bloomberg in January said that the FDA could release guidance for voluntary sodium reduction targets later this year.
Umamix Bold's ingredient lineup makes the natural flavoring a potential candidate for manufacturers looking to make clean label products while also responding to consumer and public health groups' demands for reduced sodium. Tate & Lyle also released a sodium-reducing ingredient last year.
As sodium reduction continues to be a concern, and the government potentially gets involved, consumers will likely seek reduced sodium options.