Bakers can reduce sodium across a broad spectrum of categories with the help of Ardent Mills product portfolio.
Sodium in food has become a focus area for governments and organizations. Higher sodium intake has been linked to obesity, high blood pressure, heart and kidney diseases. Health Canada has recommended an upper intake limit (UL) for consumption at 2,300 mg of sodium per day. In the US, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans has described a similar level, with recommendations as low as 1,500 mg of sodium for anyone with high blood pressure, and for people over age 50. These recommendations are starting to inform consumer choices around their sodium intake. Ardent Mills offers several reduced sodium bakery mixes and bases to address this growing consumer needs.
The trouble with reducing sodium is that salt is a widely beloved ingredient. People have grown accustomed to the flavor that salt provides. Beyond enhancing the flavor of food, salt, which contains 40 percent sodium by weight, plays an important role in food processing. It serves as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms that cause spoilage. It can strengthen gluten in bread dough, improve tenderness in cured meats and provide consistent texture in cheese. Sodium can also control fermentation in baked goods.
Reducing sodium goes well beyond a simple ingredient swap. The sodium in foods is often not “added” sodium that can just be withheld as sodium is an inherent part of many ingredients. Reducing sodium means you are altering food systems that rely on salt’s functionality which creates sub-optimal formulations. Ardent Mills Product Development Team has developed unique formulations that optimize health and wellness benefits, as well as enhance flavor and appearance in reduced sodium mixes and bases.
Wheat Wise® bread bases and mixes are nutritious products targeted at emerging consumer preferences; they include whole grains and fiber, as well as being reduced in fat and sodium. Products reduced in sodium must contain at least 25 percent less sodium per reference serving compared to a regular version of a comparative product. Some of Ardent Mills targeted reduced sodium products include:
- Wheat Wise® loaf mixes & bases (made with whole grain & 100% whole wheat )
- Wheat Wise® scone mixes
- Wheat Wise® whole grain pizza mix
With Ardent Mills national scope and the broad range of quality flour, oats, baking products and innovative services in the industry, we are uniquely positioned to collaborate with customers to help them strengthen their consumer appeal and take advantage of new health and wellness opportunities in the marketplace.