Campbell's lower sodium salt soup

[annecros]

Just saw a commercial for Campbell's lower sodium soups, that states that they are using a lower sodium salt (sea salt? ) in the condensed soups.

Now, I know that saltpeter is potassium chloride, and that it does not have as much sodium as sodium chloride, but a less saltier salt? They are saying 25% less salt, and stating that they are using "sea salt" on a green banner on the label. I was dumbfounded and didn't know what the heck to say.

I am confused and skeptical.

Consternated.

Not making sense to me.

Am I missing something?

[Andrew Fenton]

According to Campbell's website, the lower sodium chicken noodle soup has 140 mg of sodium per can; the regular has 890 mg per serving (1/2 cup = about half a can?) Unfortunately, they don't list ingredients online, so it's hard to tell whether they use a different salting agent, or just less of the same one.

Edited March 12, 2007 by Andrew Fenton (log)

[SuzySushi]

Apparently, it's a lower sodium sea salt made using a process of evaporation and condensation. Campbell's has an exclusive agreement with the salt manufacturer.

Here's a link to an article in a trade newsletter: http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.a...-reduction-soup

[enurmi]

What what what????

Chemically, I'm consternated.

Salt = NaCl. I can understand if they used a potassium nitrate but they claim to use real salt, which is always NaCl. Chemically, there is no way (AFAIK) to reduce the amount of sodium in that. 1 cation of Sodium (which will always have a +1 charge) will always bond with 1 cation of Chlorine (which will always have a -1 charge).

Can anyone give a scientific explanation?

It sounds suspiciously like PR bull.

Edited March 12, 2007 by enurmi (log)

[WHT]

Just saw a commercial for Campbell's lower sodium soups, that states that they are using a lower sodium salt (sea salt? ) in the condensed soups.

Now, I know that saltpeter is potassium chloride, and that it does not have as much sodium as sodium chloride, but a less saltier salt? They are saying 25% less salt, and stating that they are using "sea salt" on a green banner on the label. I was dumbfounded and didn't know what the heck to say.

I am confused and skeptical. 

Consternated. 

Not making sense to me. 

Am I missing something?

←

Sorry Saltpeter is Potassium Nitrate (KNO3)

[markk]

Well, here's a link to Solo Sea Salt, a reduced-sodium sea salt that I was introducted to at the Fancy Foods Show. If we're getting some scientific experts on here at some point, could you comment on this as well?

[enurmi]

Ah, reading that link helps out a lot... Still, a big part of me thinks it must be illegal to mislead the customer by making them think that they are eating actual salt. In reality, that "low sodium" sea "salt" is just salt plus magnesium and potassium (probably potassium nitrate). Very misleading.

[annecros]

Just saw a commercial for Campbell's lower sodium soups, that states that they are using a lower sodium salt (sea salt? ) in the condensed soups.

Now, I know that saltpeter is potassium chloride, and that it does not have as much sodium as sodium chloride, but a less saltier salt? They are saying 25% less salt, and stating that they are using "sea salt" on a green banner on the label. I was dumbfounded and didn't know what the heck to say.

I am confused and skeptical. 

Consternated. 

Not making sense to me. 

Am I missing something?

←

Sorry Saltpeter is Potassium Nitrate (KNO3)

←

Thanks. I should never post at night.

[annecros]

Ah, reading that link helps out a lot... Still, a big part of me thinks it must be illegal to mislead the customer by making them think that they are eating actual salt. In reality, that "low sodium" sea "salt" is just salt plus magnesium and potassium (probably potassium nitrate). Very misleading.

←

Heh, at least I won't have to keep my hubby away from the sea salt (I think)! We won't be dosing him with saltpeter. I know there is no scientific evidence to back up the saltpeter thing, but Anne here is not taking any chances with that stuff.

Seriously though, potassium has a severe interaction with blood thinners, that a lot of old folks take. Old foks who would think lower sodium is good.

They wouldn't let my Mom, prone to DVTs, eat sweet potatoes or leafy greens when she was on coumadin therapy. I think it interacts with ACE inhibitors, too.

Scary.

Edited March 12, 2007 by annecros (log)

[ghostrider]

Elsewhere on Campbell's website is this bit of fluff:

Technological advancements have allowed us to accelerate our long-standing efforts to reduce salt (sodium) without sacrificing the delicious taste you expect from Campbell.

I guess that dilution constitutes a "technological advancement" in some sense.

[SuzySushi]

Ah, reading that link helps out a lot... Still, a big part of me thinks it must be illegal to mislead the customer by making them think that they are eating actual salt. In reality, that "low sodium" sea "salt" is just salt plus magnesium and potassium (probably potassium nitrate). Very misleading.

←

Enurmi -- looks like you're absolutely correct. A bit more Googling revealed this link which reports that Campbell's indeed is using Solo brand "low sodium sea salt" (the same brand markk saw at the trade show), which is manufactured by the UK-based firm The Low Sodium Sea Salt Company. The product is "a sodium-reduced, magnesium enriched sea salt containing sodium, potassium and magnesium."

Solo's website claims that "sea water has a relative mineral composition almost identical with that of the blood," but does not reveal how the salt is produced.

However, a competing product, LifeSalt, a lower sodium sea salt from Iceland, claims to be "derived from the purest sea water which is drawn from a reservoir one mile underground. An environmentally friendly harvesting process utilizing geyser steam replaces 60% of the sodium content with magnesium and potassium that occurs naturally in the sea water." Its website further states, "The sea water is drawn from a subterraneous pool of boiling sea water and geothermal steam is used to evaporate the sea water resulting in a one of a kind sea salt."

Maybe someone here who knows more about chemistry can explain the process!

[enurmi]

However, a competing product, LifeSalt, a lower sodium sea salt from Iceland, claims to be "derived from the purest sea water which is drawn from a reservoir one mile underground. An environmentally friendly harvesting process utilizing geyser steam replaces 60% of the sodium content with magnesium and potassium that occurs naturally in the sea water."  Its website further states, "The sea water is drawn from a subterraneous pool of boiling sea water and geothermal steam is used to evaporate the sea water resulting in a one of a kind sea salt."

Maybe someone here who knows more about chemistry can explain the process!

←

Well, I know a little bit... Potassium nitrate (KNO3) is often used in salt substitutes because of it's salty flavor; it is naturally occurring though (I believe) most compounds produced for commercial use are produced in laboratories. But, I suppose, seawater is an aqueous solution of NaCl, KNO3, and... MgSO4, I believe. (Word names would be sodium chloride, potassium nitrate, and magnesium sulfate (not anhydrous...heptahydrate?), aka salt, saltpeter, and epsom salt)

They would "use geyser steam" (WOW! ALL ORGANIC!! I must buy this stuff now) to evaporate the water, leaving behind crystals of the three compounds.

Edited March 13, 2007 by enurmi (log)

[ghostrider]

From the Food-navigator article linked above by SuzySushi--

. . .the development of salt substitutes that actually taste good continues to raise considerable obstacles for the industry. Receptors inside the human tongue require the shape and size of the sodium ion in order to register a salty taste.

Count me skeptical about these dilute-sodium salts.

If you really want less salt in your foods, don't buy the processed stuff & use less in your cooking. Your tastes will adapt. At least, mine did.

But of course this isn't about taste & health, it's about corporate survival.

[annecros]

(Word names would be sodium chloride, potassium nitrate, and magnesium sulfate (not anhydrous...heptahydrate?), aka salt, saltpeter, and epsom salt)

←

/sarcasm on

Oh, salt, saltpeter and epsom salt. Yummy.

/sarcasm off

[paulraphael]

The trouble is that if these soups didn't taste like salt water, then campbell's would have to figure out how to make them taste like soup. which is a little trickier.

As far as what you can call salt, are there rules in food labelling that say it can only be sodium chloride? In chemistry there are millions of compounds called salts. including ones that would melt the skin right off your tongue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt

Edited March 13, 2007 by paulraphael (log)

[Human Bean]

From the Solo Sea Salt website linked above:

Sodium Chloride (NaCI) app. 41%

Potassium Chloride (KCI) app. 41%

Magnesium salts, hydrated, as chlorides

and sulphates app. 17%

Salts of trace elements <1%

Sodium 16%

Potassium 21%

Magnesium 2%

Trace Elements <1 %

It's potassium chloride, not potassium nitrate. (Sold in the US as 'No Salt' or something like that.)

Just what I expected of a 'lower-sodium salt,' this is nothing new. There's been a low-sodium version of V8 juice available for a long time, but the potassium is cranked up to absurdly high levels.

It looks like they're finally going for a more reasonable balance between the sodium and potassium; physiologically, this a good thing.

(BTW, pointless scare-mongering: potassium chloride is one of the chemicals used in execution by lethal injection - it stops the heart quite effectively. )