Low salt pig-meat products and novel formulations

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
   1. Objectives:
   2. Learning goals
   3. Teacher page
2. Section 1: Salt and Human Health
   1. Sodium and human physiology
   2. Trends in salt consumption
   3. Dietary salt as a health hazard
   4. Epidemiological studies
   5. High blood pressure
   6. Stroke
   7. Death from cardiovascular disease
   8. Osteoporosis
   9. Stomach cancer
   10. References
3. Section 2: Salt Content of Pig-meat Products
   1. Salt concentration in different pig-meat products
   2. Low-salt products in Europe
   3. Comparisons between various processed products
   4. References
4. Section 3: Science of salt in pig products
   1. From muscle to meat
   2. Effect of salt content on chemical and physical properties and implications for organoleptic properties
   3. Problems related to meat pH
   4. Effect of salt content on microbiological properties in processed meat products
   5. Consequences of reducing salt content
   6. References
5. Section 4 Low-salt Pig Meat Formulations
   1. General points to consider when manufacturing processed pork
   2. Balancing low salt with substitutes, enhancers and alternatives
   3. Effect of low sodium on eating quality, shelf-life and functional properties
   4. Optimum concentrations
   5. Cooked sausages
   6. Frankfurters
   7. Dry fermented sausage
   8. Ground patties
   9. Dry-cured ham
   10. Restructured meats (wet cured ham)
   11. Bacon
   12. Novel approaches in product formulation
   13. Other approaches
   14. Conclusions
   15. References
6. Discussion
7. Glossary
8. Completion
   1. Comments
   2. Self assessment
   3. Evaluation
9. Acknowledgment

Stomach cancer

Gastric cancer is the second most frequent cause of cancer death worldwide. The link with dietary salt is not as well substantiated as for cardiovascular disease, but the basis is as follows. High salt concentrations can solubilize the mucus barrier on the stomach wall and this can increase the risk of localized inflammatory responses at erosion sites. This can enhance colonization of Helicobacter pylori which, along with food-derived carcinogens, has been linked to a risk of gastric cancer. Chemical carcinogens, formed during pigmeat processing using nitrate or nitrite, have been implicated in this cascade.

In a prospective study in Japan, there was a dose-related increase in the risk of gastric cancer with the consumption of salt (Tsugane et al., 2004). This confirmed previous retrospective studies linking gastric cancer to salt intake. The association was more pronounced in men than in women.

Activity 1.3

Answer the following questions:

1 What is the average salt intake in your country?

2 What is the recommended salt intake by the health authorities in your country?

3 List the food items which contain high salt levels and are commonly consumed in your country.