Reduced salt in ready-to-eat seafood products

An increasing demand for processed foods are changing dietary patterns across the globe. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), salt reduction has been identified as one of the most effective initiatives to improve the health of the population. For people with a taste for preserved fish products, a number of new salt-reduced products makes it easier to comply with dietary recommendations.

Salt has traditionally been used to preserve many types of fish products, because it inhibits bacterial growth and increases product shelf-life. Therefore, if manufacturers decide to change the salt content, it can affect the growth of bacteria, which can make the food taste bad or make it unsafe to eat. But as people generally consume too much salt, it is necessary to develop solutions to reduce salt in e.g. fish and shellfish products.

Mathematical tools predict bacterial growth while reducing salt content

To reduce the salt content, Royal Greenland has used new innovative mathematical tools to predict the potential growth of hazardous microorganisms in ready-to-eat (RTE) seafood including Clostridium botulinum and Listeria monocytogenes. Using these tools, it has become possible to lower the content of salt in RTE seafood by up to 50% without compromising the food safety.

Innovative mathematical tools can lower the content of salt in ready-to-eat seafood by up to 50% without compromising the food safety

Cooperation leads to a significant reduction in salt

Through research and dedicated product development, Royal Greenland has managed to reduce the content of salt for a broad range of RTE seafood including brined prawns, smoked and gravad fish as well as lumpfish roe products. This initiative has made it possible to label more than 35 RTE seafood products with the Keyhole label guiding Danish consumers to a healthier choice.

For brined prawns alone, Royal Greenland has managed to take out eight tons of salt in a year’s production alone. By being at the forefront of research and innovation, companies like Royal Greenland can now present consumers with better and healthier alternatives when grocery shopping