Taste Perception of Potassium-Enriched Low-Sodium Salt Substitutes (LSSS) Using Screened Assessors in Hyderabad, India

Background: Excess dietary sodium intake is a major modifiable risk factor for hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD) globally. Potassium-Enriched Low-Sodium Salt Substitutes (LSSS), which partially replace sodium chloride with potassium chloride, are recommended as a population-level sodium-reduction strategy. However, sensory acceptability remains a key barrier to their adoption, particularly in India where discretionary salt use predominates. Objective: To assess whether potassium-enriched low-sodium salt substitutes (15% and 30% potassium chloride) differ from regular salt in perceived saltiness intensity when added to commonly consumed Indian food matrices. Methods: A controlled taste perception assessment was conducted using a screened analytical panel (N = 25) selected according to ISO 8586:2012 standards. Three salt formulations (100% NaCl, 85% NaCl & 15% KCl, and 70 % NaCl+30% KCl) were evaluated across three food matrices representing liquid (buttermilk), semi-solid (dal with roti), and surface-salted (French fries) foods. Saltiness intensity was rated on a five-point ordinal scale. Differences were analysed using Friedman’s test. Results: Across all three food matrices, no statistically significant differences in saltiness intensity were observed between regular salt and potassium-enriched formulations (p > 0.05). Although minor numerical variations in mean ratings and distribution patterns were noted, these differences were inconsistent and did not indicate systematic changes in perceived saltiness. Conclusions: Potassium-enriched LSSS containing up to 30% potassium chloride produced similar saltiness perception to regular salt across representative Indian food matrices when evaluated by trained assessors. These findings support the sensory feasibility of LSSS as a strategy for population-level sodium reduction in India.