Background/Aims: Bread is one of the biggest contributors of dietary salt in remote Indigenous communities, providing approximately 25% of all salt consumed. This study aimed to assess acceptability of reduced-sodium (salt) bread in a remote Indigenous community.
Methods: Two studies were conducted with convenience samples from a remote Indigenous community in the Northern Territory of Australia: 1) White-bread testing (WtBT; n=62) and 2) Wholemeal-bread testing (WmBT; n=72). For both WtBT and WmBT, three breads were tested; one regular-sodium (~400mg/100g) and two reduced-sodium (~350mg/100g; ~300mg/100g) variants. Triangle test was used to examine whether participants could distinguish between: standard versus 350mg or standard versus 300mg sodium breads (analysed using binomial probability). Participants also tasted all three breads in a random, and balanced, order and rated their liking of sensory characteristics (appearance, colour, flavour, sweetness, saltiness, texture, softness, overall liking); differences between breads were analysed using ANOVA with P<0.05 set for significance.
Results: Participants were unable to detect a difference between standard and reduced-salt breads (300mg or 350mg/100g) in both WtBT and WmBT (p>0.05). There were no significant differences in sensory characteristics between standard, 300mg or 350mg sodium breads in WtBT or WmBT (p>0.05).
Conclusions: In a sample of Indigenous Australians living in a remote community, 25% salt reduction in bread was not detected, and no effects on liking were observed. Salt reduction in bread could be an important strategy to reduce the excess salt intake observed in remote Indigenous communities
Funding source(s): National Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship; Goodman Fielder