Research Progress in Saltiness Perception and Salty Substitutes

Salty taste in foods is a key sensory attribute for appetite enhancement, however, consumption of a high salt diet is associated with a high risk of hypertension, stroke, and heart diseases. To address this issue, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended reducing the global per capita salt consumption by 30% by 2025, with adults optimally consuming less than 5 g/day of salt. Therefore, the search for new salty substitutes to reduce salt intake in foods has become a research hotspot. Despite the ongoing endeavors of global research, multiple studies have focused on the application of a single category of salty alternatives or food processing quality (such as preservative effects and process characteristics), and there is still little comprehensive evaluation of these alternatives in terms of nutritional value, health impact, and consumer acceptance in the literature. This review will first outline the urgency of global salt reduction, followed by thorough discussion of salty substitutes and associated mechanisms from the perspective of human salty taste perception. Second, the present review will explore the potential application of salty substitutes and highlight the interaction between taste and odor in foods. Additionally, the potential impacts of salty substitutes on human health will be discussed. The present review will provide a scientific basis for the development of low salt products by food industry.