Potassium-based sodium substitutes impact the sodium and potassium content of foods

• Published in: Journal of renal nutrition
• Main Authors: Picard, Kelly, Mager, Diana R, Senior, Peter A, Richard, Caroline
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 06.06.2024
• Subjects: Sodium reduction; Potassium-based sodium substitutes; Sodium; Potassium
• ISSN: 1532-8503
• DOI: 10.1053/j.jrn.2024.05.010

Potassium-based sodium substitutes (PBSS) can be used to replace sodium during food processing. How potassium and sodium content is associated with PBSS is not known. The objectives of the study were to describe the prevalence of PBSS by sodium content claim category and describe how PBSS are associated with sodium and potassium concentrations by sodium level. This cross-sectional analysis used the July 2018 version of the USDA's Branded Food Products Database. Products were divided into sodium content claim category and were analyzed for the presence of PBSS. Products with non-missing values for sodium and potassium were grouped by sodium level and analyzed for the prevalence of PBSS to explore potassium and sodium concentration. Column proportion z-test with the Bonferroni correction were used to explore the occurrence of PBSS by sodium content claim category. Mann-Whitney U-test was used to assess differences in potassium and sodium concentrations across sodium levels and within levels by the presence/absence of PBSS. The prevalence of PBSS in the categories "without a sodium content claim" (2.4%), "lightly salted" (0.5%) and "unsalted" claims (0.6%) were statistically significantly lower than prevalence of PBSS in the "sodium free" (9.5%), "low sodium" (10.3%) and "reduced sodium" claim categories (23.3%; all p<0.01). Among the group of products with serving sizes above 30g containing PBSS, there was a 357mg per serving higher median sodium concentration and a 160mg per serving higher median potassium concentration compared to the group without PBSS (both p<0.01). In the "reduced sodium" claim category, a higher prevalence of PBSS was found compared to other sodium claim categories. The presence of PBSS was associated with higher potassium and sodium concentrations in foods.