Thickening Agents Effects on Sodium Binding and Other Taste Qualities of Soup Systems

ABSTRACT Low sodium chicken broth with NaCl added to provide Na + concentrations in typical reduced Na + soups (144 and 288 mg Na + /240 mL serving) was thickened with commonly used gum, starch, or flour food additives. Xanthan gum suppressed saltiness as the result of ionic binding of Na + , as determined by sensory evaluation and 23 Na NMR spectroscopy. Saltiness was affected by added NaCl (p = 0.0001), thickener (p < 0.01), and added NaCl* thickener (p < 0.01), and positively correlated with chicken and overall flavors (p = 0.0001). Cornstarch provided body, no suppression of salt taste, and the greatest salt enhancement of chicken and overall flavors. In complex food systems, temperature and other factors affected Na + binding as measured by NMR pointing to the need for a new model.