FDBusiness.com

Concern about excessive sodium intake in FF/QSR restaurant foods has been rapidly growing, with calls for mandatory regulation and other initiatives directed toward the reduction of salt consumption. In response, Salt of the Earth Ltd. makes its Umamix flavor-enhancement product available to restaurants. Umamix is a proprietary, savory mix of quality sea salt and vegetable extracts. It is rich in umami, the distinctive, flavor-boosting “5th taste.” The all-natural formula is designed to reduce sodium and MSG use in food applications and recipes.

“We developed Umamix to answer the growing demand from consumers to reduce sodium in food without compromising on flavor,” explains Dror Levy, Retail & Food Service Export manager for Salt of the Earth. “Umamix can help chefs reduce sodium up to 45% in various recipes and food applications, providing a vegan, natural and GMO-free solution for restaurants in New York and the rest of the US.”

Salt of the Earth collaborated with MBA candidates at Northwestern Kellogg School of Management, Chicago, in a study to better understand what professional and casual chefs really want and how they might use Umamix in their recipes. The study took place in The Chopping Block culinary school in Chicago. “The research showed Umamix to be especially effective in replacing salt in a variety of food products including vegetarian dishes, sauces and meat-based products, such as hamburgers,” Levy adds.

“Restaurant patrons want a great dining experience, and this translates to healthful food, with full flavor,” says Revital Ben Shachar, Marketing Manager for Salt of the Earth. “People want to eat healthy, and they demand transparency when it comes to what’s in the food they consume. The challenge for chefs is to make food healthier, with great taste and without preservatives or synthetic ingredients. Umamix lets them stir in or shake on flavor. Salt of the Earth is able to help chefs develop or adapt recipes to take full advantage of Umamix’s substantial flavor enhancement and sodium-lowering benefits,” Shachar adds.

With innovation and quality as its driving principles, Salt of the Earth has been producing sustainable sea salt solutions for the global food industry since 1922. Salt of the Earth’s customers span more than 30 countries on 5 continents. The company controls and tracks sustainable salt resources and works to promote balanced salt consumption through innovative sodium reduction solutions.