Low-sodium salt composition

Abstract

The present invention includes low-sodium salt compositions, Modified Potassium Chlorides and methods of making the same. The low-sodium salt compositions include NaCl, KCl, a cereal flour modifier or modifiers and a food grade acidulant, with the end product preferably having a Na/K ratio of from about 0.1 to about 9.0, more preferably from about 0.4 to about 3, even more preferably from about 0.6 to about 1.5 and most preferably about 1.0. The salt compositions of the present invention can be made by drum drying, extrusion cooking and agglomeration procedures. The preferred procedure includes a two step process: the production of a Modified KCl (MPC) in Step 1, in which KCl is preferably mixed with rice flour and citric acid in a drum drying process, followed by Step 2, in which the MPC is blended and/or co-ground with NaCl in any desired ratio, preferably 50/50, which gives a Na/K ratio of about 1 (i.e. 20% sodium and 20% potassium). This 2-step technique not only masks the bitterness associated with KCl, but also preserves the natural taste/flavor of NaCl in the final product. It is also cost-effective since only the KCl and the modifier are processed in Step 1, which is the most costly part of the overall process.

1 . A salt composition comprising: 
 a) a cereal flour;    b) sodium chloride; and    c) potassium chloride; the salt composition including from about 2 to about 80 percent by weight of cereal flour, from about 10 to about 60% by weight of sodium chloride and from about 10 to about 60% by weight of potassium chloride.    
   
   
       2 . The salt composition of  claim 1 , wherein the cereal flour is substantially composed of rice flour.  
   
   
       3 . The salt composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a food grade acidulant.  
   
   
       4 . The salt composition of  claim 3 , wherein the food grade acidulant is citric acid.  
   
   
       5 . A salt composition comprising: 
 a) a cereal flour;    b) sodium chloride; and    c) potassium chloride; the salt composition including from about 1 to about 80% by weight of cereal flour, from about 10 to about 60% by weight of sodium chloride and from about 10 to about 60% by weight of potassium chloride; made by a process including a step selected from the group consisting of drum drying; extruding and agglomeration, at a temperature of from about 150 to about 350° F., a semi-solid mixture of an amount of water and a blend of from about 2 to about 80% by weight of cereal flour, from about 10 to about 40% by weight of sodium chloride and from about 10 to about 40% by weight of potassium chloride.    
   
   
       6 . The salt composition of  claim 5 , wherein the modifier is substantially composed of rice flour.  
   
   
       7 . The salt composition of  claim 5 , further comprising a food grade acidulant.  
   
   
       8 . The salt composition of  claim 7 , wherein the food grade acidulant is citric acid.  
   
   
       9 . A salt composition comprising: 
 a) a cereal flour, the cereal flour being substantially composed of rice flour;    b) sodium chloride;    c) potassium chloride; and    d) a food grade acidulant; the salt composition including from about 1 to about 80% by weight of cereal flour, from about 10 to about 60% by weight of sodium chloride, from about 10 to about 60% by weight of potassium chloride and from about 0.01 to about 1.0% by weight of food grade acidulant.    
   
   
       10 . The salt composition of  claim 9 , wherein the food grade acidulant is citric acid.  
   
   
       11 . A Modified Potassium Chloride product made by a process comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing potassium chloride, water and a modifier;    b) mixing the modifier and potassium chloride with the water to form a mixture, the mixture including an amount of water and a blend of from about 2 to about 20% by weight of the modifier and from about 10 to about 90% by weight of potassium chloride;    c) processing the mixture in a drum dryer to form a dried mixture;    d) cooling the dried mixture to form a cooled mixture; and    e) milling the cooled mixture.    
   
   
       12 . The Modified Potassium Chloride product made by the process of  claim 11 , wherein the step of providing further includes providing sodium chloride and the step of milling further includes milling from about 10 to about 90% by weight of sodium chloride with the cooled mixture.  
   
   
       13 . The Modified Potassium Chloride product made by the process of  claim 11  further comprising the step of blending the milled cooled mixture with from about 10 to about 90% by weight of sodium chloride.  
   
   
       14 . The Modified Potassium Chloride product made by the process of  claim 11 , wherein the modifier is selected from the group consisting of cereal flour, cereal starch and a combination thereof.  
   
   
       15 . The Modified Potassium Chloride product made by the process of  claim 14 , wherein the modifier is substantially composed of rice flour.  
   
   
       16 . The Modified Potassium Chloride product made by the process of  claim 11 , wherein the step of providing includes providing a food grade acidulant and the step of mixing includes mixing the modifier, the potassium chloride and the food grade acidulant with the water.  
   
   
       17 . The Modified Potassium Chloride product of  claim 16 , wherein the food grade acidulant is citric acid.  
   
   
       18 . A method of making a salt composition, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing potassium chloride, water and a modifier;    b) mixing the potassium chloride, water, and the modifier to form an aqueous mixture, the aqueous mixture including an amount of water and a dry mixture including from about 2 to about 20% by weight of the modifier and from about 10 to about 90% by weight of potassium chloride;    c) processing the aqueous mixture in a drum dryer to form a dried mixture;    d) cooling the dried mixture to form a cooled mixture; and    e) milling the cooled mixture.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of milling further includes milling from about 10 to about 90% by weight of sodium chloride with the cooled mixture.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of blending the milled cooled mixture with from about 10 to about 90% by weight of sodium chloride.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of providing includes providing a food grade acidulant and the step of mixing includes mixing the food grade acidulant with the modifier, the potassium chloride and the water.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the food grade acidulant is citric acid.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the modifier is selected from the group consisting of cereal starch, cereal flour and a combination thereof.  
   
   
       24 . A method of making a salt composition, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing potassium chloride, water and a cereal flour;    b) mixing the cereal flour and potassium chloride with the water to form an aqueous mixture, the mixture including an amount of water and a dry mixture including from about 20 to about 80% by weight of cereal flour and from about 10 to about 40% by weight of potassium chloride;    c) processing the mixture in a drum dryer to form a dried mixture;    d) cooling the dried mixture to form a cooled mixture; and    e) milling the cooled mixture.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of milling further includes milling from about 10 to about 90% by weight of sodium chloride with the cooled mixture.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising the step of blending the milled cooled mixture with from about 10 to about 90% by weight of sodium chloride.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the cereal flour is substantially composed of rice flour.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of providing includes providing a food grade acidulant and the step of mixing includes mixing the food grade acidulant with the cereal flour, the sodium chloride, the potassium chloride and the water.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the food grade acidulant is citric acid.  
   
   
       30 . A method of making a salt composition, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing sodium chloride, potassium chloride, water and a cereal flour;    b) mixing the cereal flour, sodium chloride and potassium chloride with the water in an extruder to form a semi-solid mixture, the semi-solid mixture including an amount of water and a dry mixture including preferably from about 20 to about 80% by weight of cereal flour, from about 10 to about 60% by weight of sodium chloride and from about 10 to about 60% by weight of potassium chloride;    c) extruding the semi-solid mixture in an extruded mass;    d) cooling the extruded mass to form a cooled mixture; and    e) milling the cooled mixture into an appropriate size for use.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the cereal flour is substantially composed of rice flour.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the step of providing includes providing a food grade acidulant and the step of mixing includes mixing the food grade acidulant with the cereal flour, the sodium chloride, the potassium chloride and the water.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the food grade acidulant is citric acid.  
   
   
       34 . A salt composition comprising: 
 a) a modifier;    b) sodium chloride; and    c) potassium chloride; the salt composition including from about 10 to about 90 percent by weight (% by weight) of the modifier, from about 10 to about 40% by weight of sodium chloride and from about 5 to about 40% by weight of potassium chloride, wherein the sodium chloride is substantially in a crystalline form in which the sodium chloride is organized in a crystal lattice in which sodium atoms are substantially in close association with chloride atoms and the potassium chloride is substantially in a non-crystalline, amorphous matrix in which potassium atoms are substantially disassociated from chloride atoms and the potassium atoms and chloride atoms are substantially in close association with the modifier.    
   
   
       35 . The salt composition of  claim 34 , wherein the modifier is selected from the group consisting of cereal flour, cereal starch and a combination thereof.  
   
   
       36 . The salt composition of  claim 35 , wherein the modifier is substantially composed of rice flour.  
   
   
       37 . The salt composition of  claim 34 , further comprising a food grade acidulant.  
   
   
       38 . The salt composition of  claim 37 , wherein the food grade acidulant is citric acid.