Development of sodium chloride microcapsules as saltiness enhancement strategy

This study aimed to develop salt microcapsules using different wall materials to achieve stable encapsulated salt systems with optimal water solubilization and controlled salt release in the oral cavity, leading to an acceptable saltiness perception in food matrices. Six types of salt microcapsules were prepared, uncoated salt (CONT) and coated with maltodextrin (MALT), chitosan (QUIT), double emulsion (DOBL), alginate (ALGI), and liposomes (LIPO).

Significant differences were observed in size distribution, intermolecular forces, solubility index, salt release during oral digestion, and sensory evaluation. MALT microcapsules exhibited the most homogeneous size distribution, while ALGI showed the smallest particle size (D(4.3) = 0.27 μm). QUIT and DOBL microcapsules demonstrated the strongest intermolecular interactions between Na+ and Cl− ions and their respective wall materials, giving the lowest solubility (77.95 and 58.74 %) and oral salt release values (39.51 and 45.87 %). Contrarily, CONT, MALT, ALGI, and LIPO microcapsules exhibited higher solubility (99.77, 90.33, 92.65 and 86.01 %) and salt release (96.62, 83.08, 88.22 and 86.01 %).

Sensory analysis revealed that coated salt microcapsules enhanced the perception of saltiness compared to uncoated samples, demonstrating the potential of salt encapsulation as a strategy to reduce overall sodium content in foods without compromising taste. However, QUIT and ALGI microcapsules received the lowest hedonic scores, possibly due to undesirable sensory attributes associated with their wall materials.

Overall, MALT, DOBL, and LIPO microcapsules emerged as the most promising formulations, offering a balance of favorable characteristics across multiple parameters and highlighting their potential application in the development of reduced-sodium food products.