Low sodium salt composition

Abstract

Salt particles adhered to a bulk carrier of the present invention are improved over prior alternative salts by having smaller salt particles adhered to a bulk carrier are achieved through modifications of variables for production of salt adhered to carrier particles, including starting solid composition, salt-carrier slurry composition, inlet and outlet drying temperature, slurry temperature, and moisture content control. The resulting salt-carrier product of salt adhered to carrier particles can be produced with much smaller salt particles of about 100 nanometers to less than 2 microns adhered to a carrier, which in turn improves electrostatic forces that help the salt-carrier product better adhere to and coat a food product than salts not adhered to a carrier particle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An improved method of making a low-sodium, salt-carrier product having less sodium per unit volume than an equivalent unit volume of sodium chloride, comprising:
 providing an aqueous salt-carrier slurry comprising an aqueous solvent and a selected percent by weight of a solids mixture, wherein the solids mixture comprises salt and a carrier medium, and wherein the carrier medium is present in an amount between about 2.77% by weight and less than 25% by weight of the aqueous solvent, and wherein the salt is present in an amount between about 3.9% by weight and less than 25% by weight of the aqueous solvent; and exposing the slurry to a drying process to both: A) form a carrier particle comprised of the carrier medium; and B) form a plurality of salt particles of less than about 100 nanometers to less than 2 microns on the surface of the carrier particle.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the drying process is spray drying, spray cooking, freeze drying or roll drying. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the unit volume of sodium chloride and the unit volume of the salt alternative composition produce an approximately equivalent salt taste. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier medium is a bulking agent, carbohydrate or its derivative, starch, maltodextrin, hydrocolloid, protein, protein derivative, yeast extract, flavor enhancer, or lipid. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the protein derivative is a protein derived from soy, wheat, or whey. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the carbohydrate or its derivative is one or more of maltodextrin, starch, pre-gelatinized starch, modified starch, pyrodextrin, gum, cereal flour, or tuber flour. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the salt is one or more of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, ammonium chloride, or magnesium sulfate. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the drying process comprises spray-drying using a spray drier inlet temperature between about 360° F.±25° F. and a spray dryer outlet temperature of 200° F.±25° F. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein: the aqueous slurry comprises the salt plus the carrier in an amount of about 10% to 36% by weight of the aqueous salt-carrier slurry and salt in an amount about 2.5% to less than 25% by weight of the aqueous salt-carrier slurry, wherein the aqueous salt-carrier slurry is prepared by heating the salt, the carrier, and water to a temperature of about 176° F.±10° F. until the water, salt, and carrier are substantially dissolved to a moisture content of about 1.2% to 5%. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising pumping the aqueous slurry through a nozzle to control moisture content to 1.2% to 5%. 
     
     
         11 . An improved salt-carrier product formed by a process comprising: providing an aqueous salt-carrier slurry comprising an aqueous solvent and a selected percent by weight of a solids mixture, wherein the solids mixture comprises salt and a carrier medium, and wherein the carrier medium is present in an amount between about 2.77% by weight and less than 25% by weight of the aqueous solvent, and wherein the salt is present in an amount between about 3.9% by weight and about 42% by weight of the aqueous solvent; and exposing the aqueous salt-carrier slurry to a drying process to both: A) form a carrier particle comprised of the carrier medium; and B) form a plurality of salt particles of an average size of less than about 100 nanometers to less than 2 microns on the surface of the carrier particle. 
     
     
         11 . The salt-carrier product of  claim 10 , wherein the carrier medium is maltodextrin and the drying process is a freeze drying, spray drying, spray cooking, or roll drying process. 
     
     
         12 . The salt-carrier product of  claim 11 , wherein the salt is a salt of sodium, chloride, potassium, or sulfate ion. 
     
     
         13 . The salt-carrier product of  claim 12 , wherein the carrier medium is a bulking agent, carbohydrate or its derivative, hydrocolloid, protein, protein derivative, yeast extract, flavor enhancer, lipid, mineral, or salt. 
     
     
         14 . The product of  claim 13 , wherein the carrier media comprises two or more different medium materials. 
     
     
         15 . The product of  claim 13 , wherein the interior portion of the carrier particle is substantially devoid of the salt crystals. 
     
     
         16 . The salt-carrier product of  claim 11 , the aqueous salt-carrier slurry comprises the salt plus the carrier in an amount of about 10% to 36% by weight of the aqueous salt-carrier slurry and salt in an amount about 2.5% to less than 25% by weight of the aqueous salt-carrier slurry, wherein the aqueous salt-carrier slurry is prepared by heating the salt, the carrier, and water to a temperature of about 176° F.±10° F. until the water, salt, and carrier are substantially dissolved to a moisture content of about 1.2% to 5%. 
     
     
         17 . The salt-carrier product of  claim 16 , wherein the salt carrier product adheres better adheres to foods than salt that is not adhered to a carrier particle. 
     
     
         18 . The salt-carrier product of  claim 17 , wherein the foods are potato chips. 
     
     
         19 . The salt-carrier product of  claim 17 , wherein the foods are corn chips. 
     
     
         20 . The salt-carrier product of  claim 17 , wherein the foods are nuts.