Improved low-sodium salt composition

Abstract

To provide a low-sodium alternative to salt, e.g., sodium chloride, or "table salt".SOLUTION: The present invention is improved over prior alternative salts by having smaller salt particles adhered to a bulk carrier, and is 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.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to food ingredients. In particular, this invention relates to food additives and ingredients that provide a low-sodium alternative to salt, such as sodium chloride, or "table salt". More specifically, this invention provides salt particles adhered to a bulk carrier that provide a desired saltiness using a reduced amount of sodium chloride compared to conventional table salt. The salt particles adhered to the bulk carrier of the present invention are improved over conventional alternative salts by having smaller salt particles adhered to the bulk carrier, which in turn results in an increased electrostatic force that allows the alternative salt particles to adhere better to food. This disclosure also relates to an improved method for manufacturing an improved low-sodium salt substitute having salt particles adhered to a bulk carrier.

Background Art

[0002] Table salt (sodium chloride) provides a taste generally enjoyed by humans and other animals. Excessive sodium, however, is known to cause some adverse health effects such as high blood pressure and heart disease. Salt is a common ingredient used in food preparation and is also used as a seasoning for cooked meats, vegetables, and snacks such as popcorn, and for finished foods. Processed and "fast food" items often contain high levels of salt to provide a desired taste to consumers; however, the short-term benefits of so-called instant foods may come with a long-term, increased risk of heart attack or stroke. The human body may require salt for electrolyte balance and other physiological processes, but often people consume sodium at levels that can be harmful to their health.

[0003] Excessive salt intake in the diet can have harmful health consequences, such as high blood pressure, a risk factor for stroke. As noted in U.S. Patent No. 9,491,961, figures from the UK government indicate that the average salt intake per person is approximately 6.0–9.0 grams per day. However, the UK government recommends a maximum of 3 grams per day. Currently in the U.S., according to the FDA, the average adult sodium intake is 3,400 mg per day. As a result, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 90% of Americans consume too much sodium. A 2019 study by the National Academy of Technology, Science and Medicine on individuals aged 14 and older recommended that individuals reduce their sodium intake if it exceeds 2,300 mg per day.

[0004] According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease claims 17.9 million lives each year and accounts for 31% of all deaths worldwide. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention states that "approximately 610,000 people die from heart disease each year in the United States—that's one in four deaths." In the UK, approximately 160,000 people die from heart disease each year, accounting for 26% of all deaths.

[0005] Clearly, a significant reduction of approximately 50% from current sodium consumption would be beneficial to human health and could save lives.

[0006] In principle, one way to reduce the amount of salt in food is to grind the salt to give it a much larger surface area, which should mean that the same "level of seasoning" can be achieved with less salt. However, as mentioned in U.S. Patent No. 9,491,961, salt is hygroscopic, and finely ground salt will quickly re-aggregate unless protected using an expensive and complex preservation system. Such a system would add an additional cost to what is otherwise a commercial product.

[0007] U.S. Patent No. 9,491,961 indicated that another possibility is to replace at least a portion of the salt with substitutes. Substitutes for sodium chloride include the use of magnesium and potassium chloride, but these impart a bitter or metallic taste, which is generally unacceptable to consumers. Furthermore, the use of potassium and magnesium ions may also affect neurons and lead to changes in blood pressure. Other substitutes include organic molecules, such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), peptides, and nucleic acid substitutes. However, these have their own problems. For example, MSG has been associated with a reported cancer risk. In addition, substitutes may affect the texture of the final food product and may trigger allergic responses. As a result, salt substitutes have replaced one "problem" with another, and consequently have met with resistance within the food manufacturer sector and among pressure groups driven by public opinion.

[0008] Another solution to this problem involves manufacturing alternative salt products that contain salts attached to carrier particles. These salt-carrier products result in low-sodium salt compositions that impart saltiness with a smaller amount of sodium than equivolume of sodium chloride itself.

[0009] For example, U.S. Patent No. 9,491,961 describes a method for preparing a salt product comprising the following steps: (i) providing a mixture comprising a salt dissolved in a solvent, the mixture further comprising an organic material that is solid under ambient temperature conditions; and (ii) micronizing the mixture and evaporating the solvent to produce a salt product consisting of individual microcrystals of salt attached to hollow particles of the organic material. The organic material may be a polymer, for example, a carbohydrate (e.g., maltodextrin or gum arabic). More than 95% of the salt-carrier product particles obtained using the method described in U.S. Patent No. 9,491,961 had a size of less than 50 microns.

[0010] U.S. Patent No. 8,900,650 describes a salt composition comprising carrier particles on which a plurality of salt microcrystals are disposed. The method comprises providing an aqueous slurry comprising an aqueous solvent and a selected weight percent of a solid mixture, wherein the solid mixture comprises a salt and a carrier medium, the carrier medium present in an amount of about 25% to about 75% by weight of the aqueous solvent; and exposing the slurry to a drying process for both a) to form carrier particles comprising the carrier medium and b) to form a plurality of salt particles on the surface of the carrier particles with an average size of less than about 20 microns, wherein the salt particles on the surface of the carrier particles have an average size in the range of 100 nanometers to less than 2 microns.

[0011] The salt-carrier products described in U.S. Patent No. 8,900,650 may be fillers, carbohydrates or their derivatives, starch, maltodextrin, hydrophilic colloids, proteins, protein derivatives, starch, pregelatinized starch, modified starch, pyrodextrin, gum, cereal flour, or tuber flour yeast extract, flavor enhancers, or lipids. Drying processes include freeze-drying, spray-drying, spray-cooking, or roll-drying.

[0012] When these salt-carrier products are applied to food, it is important that they coat the food well. As described below, the inventors determined that by changing the variables for the formation of salts attached to carrier particles, including the starting solid composition, salt-carrier slurry composition, inlet and outlet air-drying temperatures, slurry temperature, and water content control, the resulting salt-carrier products with salts attached to carrier particles can be produced with much smaller salt particles attached to the carrier, ranging from about 100 nanometers to less than 2 microns, which in turn improves the electrostatic force that helps the salt-carrier products coat food better. [Overview of the project]

[0013] In a first embodiment, an improved method is provided for producing a low-sodium salt-carrier product having less sodium per unit volume than equal unit volume of sodium chloride, comprising an aqueous salt-carrier slurry comprising an aqueous solvent and a selected weight percent of a solid mixture, wherein the solid mixture comprises a salt and a carrier medium, the carrier medium being present in an amount of about 2.77% to less than 25% by weight of the aqueous solvent, and the salt being present in an amount of about 3.9% to less than 25% by weight of the aqueous solvent; and further comprising exposing the slurry to a drying process to A) form carrier particles composed of the carrier medium; and B) form a plurality of salt particles on the surface of the carrier particles of about less than 100 nanometers to less than 2 microns.

[0014] In another embodiment, the drying process is spray drying, spray cooking, freeze-drying, or roll drying.

[0015] In another embodiment, a unit volume of sodium chloride and a unit volume of salt substitute composition produce approximately equivalent saltiness.

[0016] In another embodiment, the carrier medium is a bulking agent, a carbohydrate or its derivative, starch, maltodextrin, hydrophilic colloid, protein, protein derivative, yeast extract, flavor enhancer, or lipid.

[0017] In another embodiment, the protein derivative is a protein derived from soybeans, wheat, or whey.

[0018] In another embodiment, the carbohydrate or its derivative is one or more of maltodextrin, starch, pregelatinized starch, modified starch, pyrodextrin, gum, cereal flour, or tuber flour.

[0019] In another embodiment, the salt is one or more of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, ammonium chloride, or magnesium sulfate.

[0020] In another embodiment, the drying process includes spray drying using a spray dryer inlet temperature of approximately 360°F ± 25°F (182.2°C ± 13.9°C) and a spray dryer outlet temperature of 200°F ± 25°F (93.3°C ± 13.9°C).

[0021] In another embodiment, the aqueous slurry contains salt + carrier in an amount of about 10% to 36% by weight of the aqueous salt-carrier slurry and salt in an amount of about 2.5% to less than 25% by weight of the aqueous salt-carrier slurry, and the aqueous salt-carrier slurry is prepared by heating the salt, carrier, and water to a temperature of about 176°F ± 10°F (80°C ± 5.6°C) until the water, salt, and carrier are substantially dissolved to a water content of about 1.2% to 5%.

[0022] In another embodiment, the method further includes passing an aqueous slurry through a nozzle and pumping it to control the water content to between 1.2% and 5%.

[0023] In a second embodiment, the improved salt-carrier product is provided by providing an aqueous salt-carrier slurry comprising an aqueous solvent and a selected weight percent of a solid mixture, wherein the solid mixture comprises a salt and a carrier medium, the carrier medium being present in an amount of about 2.77% to less than 25% by weight of the aqueous solvent, and the salt being present in an amount of about 3.9% to about 42% by weight of the aqueous solvent; and being formed by a process comprising: A) forming carrier particles composed of the carrier medium; and B) forming a plurality of salt particles on the surface of the carrier particles with an average size of less than about 100 nanometers to less than 2 microns; and B) exposing the aqueous salt-carrier slurry to a drying process for both.

[0024] In another embodiment, the carrier medium is maltodextrin, and the drying process is freeze-drying, spray-drying, spray-cooking, or a roll-drying process.

[0025] In another embodiment, the salt is a salt of sodium, chloride, potassium, or sulfate ions.

[0026] In another embodiment, the carrier medium is a bulking agent, a carbohydrate or its derivative, a hydrophilic colloid, a protein, a protein derivative, a yeast extract, a flavor enhancer, a lipid, a mineral, or a salt.

[0027] In another embodiment, the carrier medium comprises two or more different media materials.

[0028] In another embodiment, the interior of the carrier particles is substantially free of salt crystals.

[0029] In another embodiment, the aqueous salt-carrier slurry contains salt in an amount of about 10 wt% to 36 wt% of salt + carrier and less than about 2.5 wt% to 25 wt% of the aqueous salt-carrier slurry, and the aqueous salt-carrier slurry is prepared by heating salt, carrier, and water to a temperature of about 176°F ± 10°F (80°C ± 5.6°C) until the salt, carrier, and water are substantially dissolved to a water content of about 1.2% to 5%.

[0030] In another embodiment, the salt carrier product adheres better to food than the salt not attached to the carrier particles.

[0031] In another embodiment, the food is potato chips. In another embodiment, the food is corn chips.

[0032] In another embodiment, the food is nuts.

[0033] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of any of the described embodiments, the preferred methods and materials are described below. The materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. In case of conflict with the terms used in the art, this specification, including definitions, will control.

[0034] Details of one or more embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings and the following description. Other features, purposes, and advantages will become apparent from the drawings and detailed description, as well as the claims. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0035] [Figure 1] This is a schematic flowchart illustrating the process for producing the improved salt-carrier product described herein. [Figure 2] This is a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of an improved salt-carrier product, showing the size of salt particles on an example of an improved salt-carrier product described herein. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0036] When applied to the table or surface (sprinkled), most commercially available salts do not dissolve immediately in saliva due to their high density and relatively large particle size. When these particles are sprinkled on food for immediate consumption or during further processing, they provide a low-intensity, long-lasting, uneven saltiness. Most cooked foods are chewed and swallowed for very short periods; therefore, salt is sometimes added at fairly high concentrations to compensate for incomplete dissolution and short mouth retention time. As a result, consumers may ingest salt that is still in granular form and thus consume much more sodium than is necessary to achieve the desired "salty" taste.

[0037] Generally, the desired level of saltiness can be achieved while reducing sodium consumption by providing small, consumable salt particles with a large surface area-to-volume ratio. Generally, the surface area-to-volume ratio of particles increases as the particle size decreases. Therefore, smaller salt particles provide increased interaction with saliva and sensory physiology in the mouth, such as the tongue, cheeks, and gums, which can lead to an increased sense of saltiness. Because more of the salt particle surface is exposed to saliva, the dissolution rate of the salt particles is greater than that of typical, commercially available salt particles, such as those found in restaurants. Since the residence time of food in the mouth is relatively short, increasing the dissolution rate of salt particles can have a significant effect on the sense of saltiness.

[0038] In this specification, the phrases “nanometer-micron size” or “nanometer-micron scale” and similar phrases have their ordinary meanings, namely, they refer to objects having at least one dimension on the nanometer or micron scale.

[0039] In this specification, the phrases “nanometer-micron size” or “nanometer-micron scale” and similar phrases have their ordinary meanings, i.e., they refer to objects having at least one dimension on the nanometer or micron scale. “Salt particles” may refer to a specific size, e.g., a narrow size distribution of particles, or a collection of particles of different sizes, e.g., the average size of a population of salt particles.

[0040] Nanometer to micron-sized salt particles are provided for direct application on cooked foods or in food preparation. In this and other embodiments, other components may be added to the salt particles to achieve certain preservation or use parameters, such as bulk density, flow, anti-caking, hydrophobicity, and other parameters. In some embodiments, coagulants or wetting agents may be used to reduce the possibility of generating excess dust when the salt particles are applied or used in food preparation.

[0041] Generally, salt particles of nanometer to micron size may be attached to a carrier to deliver minute salt particles to the consumer's mouth. The term “attached” has, in its ordinary sense, to be joined or bonded, or to be glued. Processes involved in attaching salt particles to a carrier may include chemical ions and covalent bonds, surface tension, adhesion, and any other physical processes that join the two entities.

[0042] The term “attached” in this specification has its ordinary meaning: joined, bonded, or glued. Processes involved in attaching salt particles to a carrier may include chemical ions and covalent bonds, surface tension, adhesion, and any other physical processes that join the two entities.

[0043] "Salt" may be any type of salt, e.g., potassium chloride or a combination of salts. In a preferred embodiment, "salt" refers to a salt of sodium, chloride, potassium, or sulfate ions. While the context of this disclosure focuses on providing low-sodium products for food products, the disclosed techniques can be used for other purposes, including methods for introducing salt into a biological system for medical or veterinary applications. In some embodiments, the methods and products described herein can be used in applications where rapid introduction of sodium may be advantageous, for example, in certain medical applications. The salt may contain certain additives, e.g., minerals or other chemical elements; in some cases, the additives may provide some health benefits.

[0044] Examples of carriers include, but are not limited to, fillers, cereal and tuber starches, maltodextrins, cereal and tuber flours, hydrophilic colloids, proteins, protein powders, etc., of any plant or animal origin, such as, but not limited to, cereals, tubers, dairy products and whey powders; flavorings and seasonings. Proteins may be any plant or animal protein source, including dairy products, meat, corn, etc. Carriers may vary in size and shape and may be processed from their original form (for example, protein powders may be further purified or ground to a desired size) to provide desired functionality, such as overall flow or bulk density. In some embodiments, using carriers to deliver salt particles may provide some packing, storage, and use benefits. For example, a carrier may be selected to provide a desired bulk density for a particular salt-carrier product. In another example, a carrier may be selected for its overall flow properties in large-scale food processing, or for its hydrophobicity or hygroscopicity. Maltodextrin has been determined to be a preferred carrier. The "salt-carrier product" refers to nanometer or micron-scale salt particles attached to the carrier.

[0045] Generally, salt particles may adhere to the surface of the carrier. The degree of salt coating on the particles may be varied to produce various taste effects, including adjusting the intensity of the saltiness. In addition, the bulk density of the salt in the salt-carrier product, such as sodium chloride, may be adjusted by controlling the salt coating on the particles.

[0046] In general, the salt-carrier products described herein can be aggregated to provide desirable properties related to use, storage, handling, and other considerations. For example, to reduce dust, the salt-carrier product may contain wetting agents or other additives to promote particle aggregation. Other additives may be used to obtain desired bulk density, product flow, antimicrobial properties, or other material handling parameters.

[0047] Figure 1 is a schematic flowchart of an exemplary process for producing an improved salt-carrier product. The salt-carrier product can be produced by following one of many methods, which do not necessarily have to be performed in the order presented below.

[0048] In step 100, a solid composition of salt and carrier is prepared to make a salt-carrier slurry. The selected carrier, preferably maltodextrin, is added to water in a tank, stirred well, and the tank is heated to a temperature of 176°F ± 10°F (80°C ± 5.6°C) to dissolve the carrier. Then, the salt is added to the tank, and the aqueous salt-carrier solution is heated at a temperature of 176°F ± 10°F (80°C ± 5.6°C) and stirred for a sufficient amount of time to ensure that the salt is dissolved, thereby becoming an aqueous salt-carrier slurry in step 300. Alternatively, the salt and carrier may be combined with water and heated at different temperatures for different periods of time, as long as the salt, carrier, and water are substantially dissolved to form an aqueous salt-carrier slurry.

[0049] The concentration of the salt in the salt solution can be adjusted to provide the desired coating of the salt on the resulting salt-carrier product. Examples of salts include a single salt (e.g., sodium chloride) or a mixture of salts (e.g., sodium chloride, potassium chloride, ammonium chloride, etc.). The carrier may be any filler, e.g., a powder filler, e.g., but not limited to proteins, carbohydrates or their derivatives (plural) (e.g., maltodextrin, pregelatinized starch, gum, flour, etc.), hydrophilic colloids, hydrolyzed proteins, yeast extracts, and flavorings. In some embodiments, combinations of different types of carriers may be used, e.g., a combination of carbohydrates, starch, and potassium salts. The carrier-to-salt ratio may be selected to obtain the desired action density or other properties of the salt-carrier product. The salt-carrier mixture may then be mixed until homogeneous.

[0050] Examples of solid compositions used to prepare improved salt-carrier product salt-carrier slurries include: 11% to 39.9% salt + carrier weight percent of aqueous solvent (water); 3.9% to less than 25% salt weight percentage of aqueous solvent (water); 2.77% to 24.9% carrier weight percentage of aqueous solvent (water); 10% to 39.9% salt + carrier weight percentage of aqueous salt-carrier slurry; and 2.5% to 14.9% salt weight percentage of aqueous salt-carrier slurry.

[0051] In step 400, the aqueous salt-carrier slurry is fed into a nozzle of a drying chamber having several orifices, and in step 500, the slurry is ejected into the drying chamber at different angles and droplet diameters that can affect particle size, with particle size being inversely proportional to the angular opening and directly proportional to the orifice opening. The inlet temperature of the drying chamber is preferably 360°F ± 25°F (182.2°C ± 13.9°C). By varying the amount of slurry pumped through the nozzle in step 400, the water content can be controlled from 1.2% to 5%. The water content is the water content of the resulting product. The amount of slurry pumped through the nozzle into the drying chamber is controlled by a pump and compressor, while being slowed down by nozzle resistance (pressure drop).

[0052] The slurry must remain in the drying chamber until it reaches the desired moisture content and then descend into the collection hopper, or be drawn in by a cyclone as in standard spray drying methods, and as they exit the drying chamber outlet at a temperature of 200°F ± 25°F (93.3°C ± 13.9°C), a cyclone follows in step 700 to collect smaller particles that are too light to be attracted onto the drying chamber hopper, which is a particularly important step because the particle size of this process produces more smaller particles than a typical spray drying process. A suction blower / scrubber process is present in step 750, and a bagging process is present in step 800 to bag the resulting salt-carrier particles.

[0053] The salt-carrier mixture may then be subjected to a process to remove (evaporate) water. Generally, it may be advantageous to remove water quickly in order to reduce the growth time of salt nuclei that form on the surface of the carrier during the drying process. Exemplary processes for removing water from a carrier-slurry mixture include spray drying, spray cooking, freeze-drying, and drum drying.

[0054] One approach is to control the average size of salt particles during the drying process, for example, a spray drying process, by adjusting one or more of the following parameters: the salt-to-carrier ratio in the slurry as described in the above embodiments, as well as spray drying parameters, one or more of the inlet temperature, pump speed, airflow, and compressor pressure. It will be understood that various other means can be used to achieve similar results. Drying temperature and time may vary, especially if methods other than spray drying are used in the drying process.

[0055] The improved process generates salt particles with an average size of 100 nanometers to less than 2 microns that are attached to or on the surface of the carrier particles. Figure 2 shows an example of the salt-carrier product described herein having a salt particle size of 100 nm to less than 2 microns. Specifically, Figure 2 is an SEM image of the improved salt-carrier product, showing that the salt particles attached to or on the surface of the exemplary carrier particles were measured to be 1.3 microns to 1.5 microns.

[0056] Numerous exemplary embodiments are described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventive concept presented herein. For example, a preferred carrier may include any material capable of providing nucleating sites for salt crystals. Examples include non-organic materials, such as some plastics and synthetic fillers known in the art.

[0057] In general, the methods provided herein can be extended to other foods and food additives. For example, similar sugar-carrier products can be provided by growing sugar particles on a suitable carrier using a process similar to that described above. Such an embodiment may provide a stronger sugar flavor than that obtained from commercially available sugar granules commonly found in restaurants and may help reduce overall sugar intake. Individuals with certain health conditions, such as diabetes or obesity, may find such sugar-carrier products beneficial to their health.

[0058] Generally, the salt-carrier products (and their equivalents) described herein may be packaged for retail sale or mass transport. The products described herein may be used for sprinkling applications, for example, in salt shakers, and for bulk applications, for example, in large-scale food processing. The salt-carrier products described herein may be used as flavorings, softeners, flavor enhancers, additives, fillers, and other ingredients generally known to those who prepare and consume food, for example, chefs, in the food preparation industry, and consumers. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

[0059] To gain consumer trust in a competitive snack food market, companies need to consistently produce well-coated potato chip products. To this end, understanding how seasonings adhere to food surfaces is crucial so that the processes involved in snack coating can be improved. Salt adhesion on potato chips affects the flavor of the product and influences whether consumers purchase it.

[0060] Scientists at Ohio State University investigated several factors that could influence how salt adheres to potato chips: surface oil content (SOC), chip temperature, time between frying and coating the product, oil composition, salt particle size, salt crystal form, and use of electrostatics. They concluded that the best adhesion conditions involve applying small salt particles to an oily surface. “Optimize the adhesion of salt onto potato chips,” The Free Library © 2008 Food Technology Intelligence, Inc. June 30, 2019.

[0061] Researchers produced chips with three different SOC levels: high, low, and no SOC. They reduced the SOC level by lightly tapping the fried chips with a paper towel. They removed the SOC by extracting the fried chips with hexane. They increased the chip temperature by baking the fried chips.

[0062] Researchers fried chips in soy, olive, corn, peanut, and palm oils to investigate the effects of oil composition. Five different particle sizes and three different shapes of NaCl crystals were non-electrostatically coated onto the chips. Five different sizes of salt were electrostatically applied to all SOC chips using a powder applicator. A feeder mimicking a moving conveyor belt used in commercial settings was used to remove the salt.

[0063] Chips with high SOC (State of Charge) exhibited the highest salt adhesion, with SOC being the most dominant factor. Increasing the chip temperature increased both SOC and adhesion activity. Increasing the time between frying and coating reduced the degree of adhesion in low-SOC level chips, but had no effect on high-SOC and no-SOC chips. Changing the oil composition did not alter the adhesion values.

[0064] Increasing the size of the salt particles reduced the degree of adhesion on all SOC chips. The effect of salt size was most evident on chips with lower SOC. Larger crystal shapes adhered to all SOC chips to a smaller extent than smaller crystal shapes, with the exception of large cubic crystals on low SOC chips. On chips with low or no SOC levels, cubic crystals provided the best adhesion characteristics. Electrostatic coating improved adhesion values ​​for all salt sizes.

[0065] The relationship between salt particle size and adhesion is also mentioned by Amos Nussinovitch, *Adhesion in Foods* (2017). In his Ph.D. dissertation from the University of Greenwich, *Establishment of a Repeatable Test Procedure for Measuring Adhesion Strength of Particles In Contact With Surfaces* (2011), Ertran Ermiss stated that the electrostatic force between seasoning particles and potato chip (crisp) substrate can be calculated as follows:

[0066] Electrostatic force (F) el ) calculation The electrostatic interaction between seasoning particles and the potato chip (crisp) base can be considered as a Coulomb force interaction between two anticharged particles located on opposite sides of the surface, and is given by the following equation (Bowling, 1988).

number

[0067] Here, q is the net charge (net change) of the seasoning particles, and ε0 is the permittivity (electrical constant) of vacuum. r R is the relative permittivity of the intervening medium (in this case, OIP). pis the equivalent radius of the particles, and h is the surface-to-surface distance of separation. Finally, the language used in the specification may not be chosen primarily for readability and instructional purposes, but rather to describe or limit the subject matter of the invention. Thus, the scope of the invention is not limited by this detailed description, but rather is intended to be limited by any claims asserted thereunder in this application. Accordingly, the disclosure of embodiments of the invention is illustrative of the scope of the invention, but is not intended to limit it.

[0068] The improved salt-carrier product adheres to and coats foods, including potato chips, corn chips, nuts, and other snack chips, better than salt that does not adhere to carrier particles. Better adhesion to food means that, when approximately equivalent volumes of salt that does not adhere to carrier particles and the improved salt-carrier product are applied to the same food, the volume of the salt-carrier product that does not adhere to food is less than that of salt that does not adhere to carrier particles.

[0069] The invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments. The alternatives described herein are merely illustrative examples and are not in any way limiting to alternatives. The steps of the invention can be carried out in different orders, and the desired results can still be achieved. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the invention described herein. These changes are intended to be incorporated therein to the extent that they deviate from the scope and spirit of what is described herein. Those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as encompassed by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for producing a salt-carrier product, comprising the following steps: A step of providing an aqueous salt-carrier slurry comprising an aqueous solvent and a selected weight percent of a solid mixture, wherein the solid mixture is A salt present in the aqueous solvent in an amount of 2.5% to less than 14.9% by weight, A carrier medium present in the aqueous solvent in an amount of 2.77% to less than 25% by weight and Includes, The aqueous salt-carrier slurry contains the salt and the carrier in an amount of 10% to 36% by weight of the aqueous salt-carrier slurry. The aqueous salt-carrier slurry is prepared by heating the salt, carrier, and water at a temperature of 80°C ± 5.6°C until the water, salt, and carrier are dissolved to a water content of 1.2% to 5%. A step of exposing the aqueous salt-carrier slurry to a drying process, thereby A) Forming carrier particles composed of the carrier medium; and B) A process of forming a plurality of salt particles with an average size of less than 100 nanometers on the surface of the carrier particle. A method including, The salt-carrier product adheres to food better than salt that does not adhere to carrier particles.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drying process includes a step of spray drying at an output temperature of 93.3°C ± 13.9°C, and a cyclone step is performed after the drying process.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous salt-carrier slurry contains the salt and the carrier in an amount of 10% to 36% by weight of the aqueous salt-carrier slurry.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous salt-carrier slurry contains the salt and the carrier in an amount of 15% to 35% by weight of the aqueous salt-carrier slurry.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the carrier medium is maltodextrin, and the drying process is freeze-drying, spray-drying, spray-cooking, or a roll-drying process.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the salt is a salt of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, or sulfate ions.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the carrier medium comprises two or more carriers selected from the group consisting of bulking agents, carbohydrates or derivatives thereof, proteins, protein derivatives, yeast extracts, flavor enhancers, lipids, minerals, or salts.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the food is selected from the group consisting of potato chips, corn chips, and nuts.

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