Sodium intake is a pressing concern for health professionals nationwide and its reduction in foods has garnered attention from restaurants to industry organizations such as the National Restaurant Association.
The excess use of salt can result in high blood pressure and heart attacks, but it is not top of mind for many consumers, said Dr. Catherine Adams Hutt, a registered dietician and consultant with the NRA.
"Consumers value taste, convenience and good value first and foremost. So the restaurant industry is trying to reduce sodium where possible and where it doesn't make a change in taste," Hutt said.
Fast casuals restaurant operators understand all too well the importance of menu items maintaining their flavor profiles.
In an effort to reduce the sodium content in its sauces and proteins, the executives at Rubio's Mexican Grill have worked with several of its suppliers to create healthier versions of the same menu items.
The change stemmed from California's passage of menu-labeling legislation, designed to put a spotlight on menu items' nutritional content.
"The beauty for us is we already have low-calorie options, and when you add the low sodium aspect we're even better off," Ralph Rubio, founder of Rubio's Mexican Grill, said.
To keep the same flavor profile, Rubio's is slowly reducing salt portions in the menu items it's looking to change. And so far, the results have been well-received by consumers.
"We don't want them to notice a difference," said Melinda Bustos, Rubio's director of Food & Beverage. "It's not a matter of advertising lower sodium levels in products, but it's more stealth-health. We want to have better nutritional products, but we don't want to pay attention to ‘it's now down.'"
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While several fast casual brands have taken steps to reduce sodium levels in sauces and proteins, other restaurant segments are finding it difficult to accomplish.
When Burger King announced in November of 2008 that it would limit the amount of sodium in its kids meals to 600 milligrams or less, it appeared to signal a new push by the food industry to offer low salt alternatives.
But despite a push from the health industry, so far the trend hasn't taken off.
There are several obstacles standing in the way, the biggest being the supply chain, said Aaron Allen, president of Quantified Marketing Group.
The supply chain has expanded to the point where operators are receiving food not only from all over the country but also from all over the world. And the best way to ensure those foods don't spoil is to add salt.
"We've engineered food to last longer and to sit on trucks and on supply shelves and to be packaged up for longer periods of time," Allen said. "And that requires sodium and other preservatives."
Salt has been such an instrumental part of the food packaging process for so long that it might be hard to convince consumers that they need to cut back.
"For thousands of years that's how we preserved meats and fish and all kinds of proteins, by packing it in salt. That's part of why we crave salt so much. It's an evolutionary thing," Allen said.
Flavor over salt
For those looking for big flavors there are alternatives, said Sara Monnette, senior manager of consumer and market research for Technomic Information Services.
"Consumers like things that are grilled, and things like wood grilling or wood firing can add a lot of natural flavor to an item," Monnette said. "Smoking or braising can bring out flavor rather than adding extra sodium to a dish."
Ralph Rubio said his concept will use big bold flavors, such as those found in a variety of peppers, to add to menu items for added taste appeal.
And since fresh foods are higher in nutritional value, they will typically have a lower sodium content.
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However, one problem Allen highlighted is that there are so many pressing concerns for the restaurant industry at the current moment that offering reduced sodium dishes may not be at the top of the list for many.
"If your clothes are on fire, you swat at the biggest flames," he said. "There's the recession and beyond that grocery stores are acting more like restaurants, which cuts into business. Then there's a foreign invasion of investors coming from overseas because the currency is devalued. It's a difficult time to be making big changes to familiar flavors."
Instead of concentrating on low-sodium, the most powerful word in the food industry today is "fresh," Allen said.
And with fast casuals already well-known for their use of fresh ingredients, many operators are already ahead of the industry.
"We're excited about the direction," Rubio said. "I've got to admit, there was a little trepidation, but I've been pleasanty surprised. We've mainatined and improved (menu items) in some cases."
*Additional reporting by Valerie Killifer
