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Abstract Background Associations of dietary sodium and potassium intake with fracture risk are inconsistent and the effects of salt substitute on fracture incidence are unknown. We assessed the effect of salt substitute compared to regular salt intake on fracture incidence using data from the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study (SSaSS). Methods SSaSS was a cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted in 600 villages in northern China. Villages were randomly allocated into intervention and control groups in a 1:1 ratio. Salt substitute was provided to intervention villages and control villages continued regular salt use for 5 years. The primary outcome for this secondary analysis was the incidence of all fractures. Secondary outcomes included incidence of vertebral fracture, non-vertebral fracture, and fracture of unknown or non-specific location. Results 20,995 participants were included in this study, and 821 fractures occurred during follow-up. Intention-to-treat analyses showed no differences between the salt substitute and regular salt groups in the incidence of all fractures (rate ratio (RR) 0.96; 95% CI 0.81 to 1.14), vertebral fracture (RR 0.82; 95% CI 0.53 to 1.26), non-vertebral fracture (RR 1.05; 95% CI 0.86 to 1.29), or fracture of unknown or non-specific location (RR 0.80; 95% CI 0.54 to 1.18). Conclusions Use of salt substitute compared to regular salt had no detectable effect on the incidence of fracture in a population at high risk of cardiovascular disease and fracture. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02092090. Registered on March 12, 2014.

Background: Potassium-enriched salt is a proven dietary intervention for reducing risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease, and premature mortality when used instead of regular table salt. Potassium-enriched salt products are available globally, but the on-pack health claims, product features, and instructions for use are diverse. Objectives: The objective of this study was to summarize the label features of potassium-enriched salt products available worldwide. Methods: A content analysis was conducted on the labels of potassium-enriched salt products available for sale in May 2023. Potassium-enriched salt products were identified through a systematic search of literature, major online shopping websites, and Google using similar keywords such as “salt substitute” or “low sodium salt.” Information on product labels was coded relating to health claims, product features, and instructions for use, and were quantitatively summarized. Results: A total of 117 potential potassium-enriched salt products were identified, with 83 included in the final analysis after excluding products containing no sodium (n = 15), no potassium (n = 5), or that were duplicates (n = 14). There were 23 (28%) products with on-pack claims for health benefits and 36 (43%) with health warnings. Twenty-five (30%) of product labels included descriptions of other product features such as taste and potassium content, and 36 (43%) had instructions for use. Conclusions: There was large variability in the label features of potassium-enriched salt products identified in this study. Most product labels made no health-related statements, but among those that did, warnings occurred more frequently than statements of health benefits. The diversity in labeling may cause confusion among consumers, and standardized, evidence-based labeling should be developed.

The present study aimed to develop low-sodium curing agents for dry-cured meat products. Four low-sodium formulations (SPMA, SPM, SP, and SM) were used for dry-curing meat. The physicochemical properties and flavor of the dry-cured meat were investigated. The presence of Mg2+ ions hindered the penetration of Na+ into the meat. The weight loss, moisture content, and pH of all low-sodium salt groups were lower than those of S. Mg2+ addition increased the water activity (Aw) of SPMA, SPM, and SM. Dry-curing meat with low-sodium salts promoted the production of volatile flavor compounds, with Mg2+ playing a more prominent role. Furthermore, low-sodium salts also promoted protein degradation and increased the content of free amino acids in dry-cured meat, especially in SM. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the low-sodium salts containing Mg2+ were conducive to improving the quality of dry-cured meat products. Therefore, low-sodium salts enriched with Mg2+ become a desirable low-sodium curing agent for achieving salt reduction in dry-cured meat products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain healthy, low-sodium cured pork with good flavor, the processing optimization of the liquid smoke and baking was carried out through single factor experiment and orthogonal experiment in the present study. The effect of different amounts of smoking liquid, liquid smoking time, baking time and baking temperature on the yield, water activity, pH and color of low-sodium cured pork was investigated. Results showed that, the order affecting sensory quality of low-sodium cured pork was as follows: Baking temperature>baking time>smoking liquid amount>liquid smoking time. The optimized technological conditions of smoking and baking were as follows: The amount of smoking liquid was 4%, the time of liquid smoking was 150 min, the baking time was 28 h, the baking temperature was 50 ℃, and the sensory score of low-sodium cured pork under this processing technology was 37 points. The electronic tongue test was conducted to compare the taste of low-sodium cured pork with that of commercial cured pork. Results showed that the saltiness of low-sodium cured pork was significantly lower than that of commercial cured pork, and the bitterness and astringency were not significantly different from those of commercial cured pork.

The present study aimed to develop low-sodium curing agents for dry-cured meat products. Four low-sodium formulations (SPMA, SPM, SP, and SM) were used for dry-curing meat. The physicochemical properties and flavor of the dry-cured meat were investigated. The presence of Mg2+ ions hindered the penetration of Na+ into the meat. The weight loss, moisture content, and pH of all low-sodium salt groups were lower than those of S. Mg2+ addition increased the water activity (Aw) of SPMA, SPM, and SM. Dry-curing meat with low-sodium salts promoted the production of volatile flavor compounds, with Mg2+ playing a more prominent role. Furthermore, low-sodium salts also promoted protein degradation and increased the content of free amino acids in dry-cured meat, especially in SM. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the low-sodium salts containing Mg2+ were conducive to improving the quality of dry-cured meat products. Therefore, low-sodium salts enriched with Mg2+ become a desirable low-sodium curing agent for achieving salt reduction in dry-cured meat products.

Abstract Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has evolved into a serious public health issue that demands the use of suitable methods to estimate the risk of the disease. As a result, in a sample of individuals who completed a 3-year low-sodium salt or conventional salt intervention in a hypertensive environment, we constructed a 13-year cardiovascular (CV) event risk prediction model with a 10-year follow-up. Methods A Cox proportional hazards model was used to build a prediction model based on data from 306 participants who matched the inclusion criteria. Both the discriminating power and the calibration of the prediction models were assessed. The discriminative power of the prediction model was measured using the area under the curve (AUC). Brier scores and calibration plots were used to assess the prediction model's calibration. The model was internally validated using the tenfold cross-validation method. The nomogram served as a tool for visualising the model. Results Among the 306 total individuals, there were 100 cases and 206 control. In the model, there were six predictors including age, smoking, LDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), baseline SBP (systolic blood pressure), CVD (cardiovascular history), and CNV (genomic copy number variation) nsv483076. The fitted model has an AUC of 0.788, showing strong model discrimination, and a Brier score of 0.166, indicating that it was well-calibrated. According to the results of internal validation, the prediction model utilised in this study had a good level of repeatability. According to the model integrating the interaction of CNVs and baseline blood pressure, the effect of baseline SBP on CV events may be greater when nsv483076 was normal double copies than when nsv483076 was copy number variation. Conclusions The efficacy of risk prediction models for CV events that include environmental and genetic components is excellent, and they may be utilised as risk assessment tools for CV events in specific groups to offer a foundation for tailored intervention strategies.

Influence of low‐sodium salt on water mobility, chemical interactions, and structural changes in noodles was investigated to explore the underlying mechanisms of noodle quality changes, and the results were in comparison with those of NaCl and KCl. Low‐sodium salt increased the cooking loss, hardness, chewiness, maximum tensile strength, and tensile fracture distance of noodles. Low‐sodium salt enhanced the interaction of water and non‐aqueous components in noodles by reducing water mobility. Besides, chemical interaction test showed that low‐sodium salt induced the oxidation of some free SH groups to form SS bonds, and strengthened the hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bonds of gluten. Fluorescence spectra revealed that low‐sodium salt changed the microenvironment of gluten molecules. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that low‐sodium salt noodles presented a more continuous and compact microstructure. Among the three kinds of salted noodles, some qualities of low‐sodium salt noodles were equivalent to or slightly worse than those of NaCl noodles, but higher than those of KCl noodles. Hence, replacing part of NaCl with KCl in noodle products is an effective method to reduce sodium content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundIn this study, we aimed to explore the antihypertensive effect of 23 and 52% concentrations of low-sodium salt combined with the Chinese Modified Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (CM-DASH) diet in patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes.MethodsWe conducted a randomized controlled single-blind trial with a semi-open design. One hundred and thirty-two participants were randomly assigned into Group A (control group), Group B (52% low-sodium salt group), Group C (23% low-sodium salt group), and Group D (meal pack group) for 8 weeks of dietary intervention. All participants were followed weekly to collect data on blood pressure, salt use, and adverse events. Blood and 24-h urine samples were analyzed at baseline, 4 weeks, and the end of the intervention.ResultsAt the end of the intervention, the mean blood pressure decreased significantly by 10.81/5.03 mmHg, 14.32/6.32 mmHg, 14.20/6.59 mmHg, and 19.06/7.82 mmHg in Groups A–D, respectively, compared with baseline (p

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has evolved into a serious public health issue that demands the use of suitable methods to estimate the risk of the disease. As a result, in a sample of individuals who completed a 3-year low-sodium salt or conventional salt intervention in a hypertensive environment, we constructed a 13-year cardiovascular (CV) event risk prediction model with a 10-year follow-up. Methods: A Cox proportional hazards model was used to build a prediction model based on data from 306 participants who matched the inclusion criteria. Both the discriminating power and the calibration of the prediction models were assessed. The discriminative power of the prediction model was measured using the area under the curve (AUC). Brier scores and calibration plots were used to assess the prediction model's calibration. The model was internally validated using the tenfold cross-validation method. The nomogram served as a tool for visualising the model. Results: Among the 306 total individuals, there were 100 cases and 206 control. In the model, there were six predictors including age, smoking, LDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), baseline SBP (systolic blood pressure), CVD (cardiovascular history), and CNV (genomic copy number variation) nsv483076. The fitted model has an AUC of 0.788, showing strong model discrimination, and a Brier score of 0.166, indicating that it was well-calibrated. According to the results of internal validation, the prediction model utilised in this study had a good level of repeatability. According to the model integrating the interaction of CNVs and baseline blood pressure, the effect of baseline SBP on CV events may be greater when nsv483076 was normal double copies than when nsv483076 was copy number variation. Conclusions: The efficacy of risk prediction models for CV events that include environmental and genetic components is excellent, and they may be utilised as risk assessment tools for CV events in specific groups to offer a foundation for tailored intervention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Potassium-enriched salt is a proven dietary intervention for reducing risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease, and premature mortality when used instead of regular table salt. Potassium-enriched salt products are available globally, but the on-pack health claims, product features, and instructions for use are diverse., Objectives: The objective of this study was to summarize the label features of potassium-enriched salt products available worldwide., Methods: A content analysis was conducted on the labels of potassium-enriched salt products available for sale in May 2023. Potassium-enriched salt products were identified through a systematic search of literature, major online shopping websites, and Google using similar keywords such as "salt substitute" or "low sodium salt." Information on product labels was coded relating to health claims, product features, and instructions for use, and were quantitatively summarized., Results: A total of 117 potential potassium-enriched salt products were identified, with 83 included in the final analysis after excluding products containing no sodium ( n = 15), no potassium ( n = 5), or that were duplicates ( n = 14). There were 23 (28%) products with on-pack claims for health benefits and 36 (43%) with health warnings. Twenty-five (30%) of product labels included descriptions of other product features such as taste and potassium content, and 36 (43%) had instructions for use., Conclusions: There was large variability in the label features of potassium-enriched salt products identified in this study. Most product labels made no health-related statements, but among those that did, warnings occurred more frequently than statements of health benefits. The diversity in labeling may cause confusion among consumers, and standardized, evidence-based labeling should be developed., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Introduction: Introduction: hypertension and diabetes are chronic disorders associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Objectives: to evaluate the effect of 52 % low-sodium salt applied to the Chinese-modified DASH (CM-DASH) diet on risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in patients with hypertension and type-2 diabetes. Methods: the low-sodium salt group (LSSG) took 5 g/day of 52 % low-sodium salt plus CM-DASH diet for 8 weeks, while the normal-sodium salt group (NSSG) took the same dose of normal-sodium salt plus CM-DASH diet for 8 weeks. Blood tests, 24-hour urine tests, anthropometric measurements, and 10-year risk of ASCVD prediction were assessed. Results: compared with baseline, both LSSG and NSSG showed a significant reduction in 10-year risk of ASCVD, but we did not find any statistically significant differences in 10-year risk of ASCVD between LSSG and NSSG. Conclusions: our study shows that salt limits and DASH diets reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease whereas low-sodium salt containing 52 % sodium chloride did not significantly lower the risk of cardiovascular disease when compared to regular salt. Due to the limitations of the research, additional studies will be necessary to confirm our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing sodium in foods has attracted the attention of consumers, it is therefore necessary to explore sodium alternatives (i.e., low-sodium salt). However, the mechanism of low-sodium salt on gluten in dough remains unclear. Effect of low-sodium salt on the aggregation behaviors of gluten in dough was investigated and compared with those with NaCl and KCl in this study. The results showed that low-sodium salt enhanced gluten strength and prolonged gluten aggregation time. Low-sodium salt decreased the content of SDS extractable protein under non-reducing conditions. Low-sodium salt changed the spatial conformation of gluten by reducing β-turn structure and increasing β-sheet structure. Confocal laser scanning microscopy images indicated that low-sodium salt promoted the formation of a larger and dense gluten network. In summary, this study showed that low-sodium salt promoted the aggregation of gluten in dough, and the change of gluten structure explained this aggregation mechanism. Its mode of action was similar to NaCl and KCl, which provided a theoretical basis for the study of sodium substitutes in flour products. • Low-sodium salt enhanced gluten strength and prolonged gluten aggregation time. • Low-sodium salt reduced SDS extractable protein content in dough. • Low-sodium salt increased D 32 and D 43 of gluten in dough. • Low-sodium salt changed spatial structure of gluten in dough. • Low-sodium salt promoted the formation of a larger and dense gluten network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hypertension is an important noncommunicable disease of global significance. Low-sodium salt substitutes (LSSS) are increasingly being used for hypertensive persons. The sodium content of these salts is reduced by substituting varying proportion of sodium with potassium. Materials and Methods: The present study was done to assess the awareness of ideal salt intake, knowledge of the availability of LSSS, their indications, and contraindications among 165 doctors of Mangalore, Dakshina Kannada. Results: The knowledge of correct upper limit of salt as 5 g/day was present in 46.7% of the participants and that for the availability of LSSS in 71%. Knowledge about the mechanism of sodium reduction with potassium substitution was found to be correct in 17.6% participants. LSSS were prescribed by 31 (18.8%), and 118 (71.5%) participants did not know about their contraindications in patients with renal disease, cardiac problems, and diabetes and patients on K-sparing diuretics and painkillers. Conclusions: The study underlines the importance of knowledge about salt reduction, LSSS, their indications, and contraindications in doctors. Regulated availability of these salts and widespread information for the primary care physicians to prevent mishaps following their use is recommended.

Introduction: Hypertension is an important noncommunicable disease of global significance. Low-sodium salt substitutes (LSSS) are increasingly being used for hypertensive persons. The sodium content of these salts is reduced by substituting varying proportion of sodium with potassium. Materials and Methods: The present study was done to assess the awareness of ideal salt intake, knowledge of the availability of LSSS, their indications, and contraindications among 165 doctors of Mangalore, Dakshina Kannada. Results: The knowledge of correct upper limit of salt as 5 g/day was present in 46.7% of the participants and that for the availability of LSSS in 71%. Knowledge about the mechanism of sodium reduction with potassium substitution was found to be correct in 17.6% participants. LSSS were prescribed by 31 (18.8%), and 118 (71.5%) participants did not know about their contraindications in patients with renal disease, cardiac problems, and diabetes and patients on K-sparing diuretics and painkillers. Conclusions: The study underlines the importance of knowledge about salt reduction, LSSS, their indications, and contraindications in doctors. Regulated availability of these salts and widespread information for the primary care physicians to prevent mishaps following their use is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the correlations between dough rheology and gluten aggregation, the rheological properties of low-sodium salt dough, the molecular chain morphology, molecular weight, subunit distribution and molecular conformation of dough gluten were investigated in this paper, and these results were compared with those of NaCl and KCl alone. Results showed that hardness, extensibility and compression resistance of low-sodium salt dough were enhanced, and the doughs were more like viscoelastic solid material. Atomic force microscopy images showed that low-sodium salt induced the combination of gluten peaks to form the larger protein clusters. Size exclusion/reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatography profiles suggested that low-sodium salt increased the content of B/C-low molecular weight glutenin subunits and high molecular weight glutenin subunits by reducing the content of α- and γ-gliadin, and mediated gluten aggregation to a certain degree. Besides, fluorescence spectra demonstrated low-sodium salt changed the conformation of gluten molecules. In summary, the improvement of rheological properties of low-sodium salt dough could be caused by the aggregation of low-sodium salt and dough gluten. Correlation analysis revealed that rheological properties of low-sodium salt doughs were highly related to the content of gliadin and glutenin fractions. NaCl and KCl also presented similar effects. Among the three salts, NaCl had the most prominent effect, followed by low-sodium salt. This study provides new insights and more comprehensive theoretical basis for sodium reduction. [Display omitted] • Low-sodium salt doughs were more like viscoelastic solid material. • Low-sodium salt enhanced the strength and extensibility of dough. • Low-sodium salt induced gluten peak binding to form larger protein clusters. • Low-sodium salt mediated dough gluten aggregation to some extent. • Low-sodium salt changed the conformation of gluten in dough. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In this study, we aimed to explore the antihypertensive effect of 23 and 52% concentrations of low-sodium salt combined with the Chinese Modified Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (CM-DASH) diet in patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes., Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled single-blind trial with a semi-open design. One hundred and thirty-two participants were randomly assigned into Group A (control group), Group B (52% low-sodium salt group), Group C (23% low-sodium salt group), and Group D (meal pack group) for 8 weeks of dietary intervention. All participants were followed weekly to collect data on blood pressure, salt use, and adverse events. Blood and 24-h urine samples were analyzed at baseline, 4 weeks, and the end of the intervention., Results: At the end of the intervention, the mean blood pressure decreased significantly by 10.81/5.03 mmHg, 14.32/6.32 mmHg, 14.20/6.59 mmHg, and 19.06/7.82 mmHg in Groups A-D, respectively, compared with baseline ( p  < 0.001). Comparison between groups showed that the systolic blood pressure was lower in Groups C and D than in Groups A (-6.54 mmHg, -8.70 mmHg, p  < 0.05) and B (-6.60 mmHg, -8.76 mmHg, p < 0.05), and the diastolic blood pressure was lower in Group D than in Group A (-5.17 mmHg, p  = 0.006). The 24-h urinary Na + and Na + /K + values were significantly decreased in participants using low-sodium salt ( p  < 0.001). No serious adverse events occurred during the trial., Conclusion: Our preliminary results suggest that 23 and 52% concentrations of low-sodium salt combined with the CM-DASH diet can effectively reduce sodium intake and increase potassium intake in patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus, thus achieving "salt reduction" and attaining standard, smooth, comprehensive management of patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes., Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.chictr.org.cn/, ChiCTR2000029017., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Zhang, Zhou, Mei, Bu, Tang, Gong, Liu, Cai, Ren and Mu.)

Reducing sodium in cereal products has become a health trend, and low-sodium salt is considered as a promising sodium substitute; however, its technical roles in dough formation have not been well understood. Effects of low-sodium salt on the physicochemical and rheological properties of dough were investigated in the present study compared with that with NaCl and KCl. Addition of low-sodium salt significantly increased stability, development time and extensional area of dough, and reduced water absorption. Wheat gluten extractability and free SH content gradually decreased with low-sodium salt additions increased, indicating that salt affected gluten macromolecular aggregation. Zeta potential measurements indicated that salt promoted the interactions between gluten molecules. Overall, low-sodium salt effectively changed physicochemical and rheological properties of dough in a manner very similar to NaCl and KCl. Therefore, addition of low-sodium salt may be a feasible approach to alleviate high sodium in the process of dough formation. [Display omitted] • Addition of low-sodium salt increase gluten strength and extensional area. • Addition of low-sodium salt decreased free SH group content. • Low-sodium salt may induce the aggregation of gluten in dough. • Low-sodium salt increases salt-gluten interaction, to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Widespread use of reduced-sodium salts can potentially lower excessive population-level dietary sodium intake. This study aimed to identify key barriers and facilitators to implementing reduced-sodium salt as a population level intervention. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants from academia, the salt manufacturing industry, and government. We used the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-AIM) framework to inform our interview guides and data analysis. Eighteen key informants from nine countries across five World Health Organization regions participated in the study from January 2020 to July 2020. Participants were concerned about the lack of robust evidence on safety for specific populations such as those with renal impairment. Taste and price compared to regular salt and an understanding of the potential health benefits of reduced-sodium salt were identified as critical factors influencing the adoption of reduced-sodium salts. Higher production costs, low profit return, and reduced market demand for reduced-sodium salts were key barriers for industry in implementation. Participants provided recommendations as potential strategies to enhance the uptake. There are presently substantial barriers to the widespread use of reduced-sodium salt but there are also clear opportunities to take actions that would increase uptake.

Excess sodium consumption and insufficient potassium intake contribute to high blood pressure and thus increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. In low-sodium salt, a portion of the sodium in salt (the amount varies, typically ranging from 10 to 50%) is replaced with minerals such as potassium chloride. Low-sodium salt may be an effective, scalable, and sustainable approach to reduce sodium and therefore reduce blood pressure and cardiovascular disease at the population level. Low-sodium salt programs have not been widely scaled up, although they have the potential to both reduce dietary sodium intake and increase dietary potassium intake. This article proposes a framework for a successful scale-up of low-sodium salt use in the home through four core strategies: availability, awareness and promotion, affordability, and advocacy. This framework identifies challenges and potential solutions within the core strategies to begin to understand the pathway to successful program implementation and evaluation of low-sodium salt use.

Background: Regular salt is about 100% sodium chloride. Low-sodium salts have reduced sodium chloride content, most commonly through substitution with potassium chloride. Low-sodium salts have a potential role in reducing the population's sodium intake levels and blood pressure, but their availability in the global market is unknown., Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the availability, formulation, labeling, and price of low-sodium salts currently available to consumers worldwide., Methods: Low-sodium salts were identified through a systematic literature review, Google search, online shopping site searches, and inquiry of key informants. The keywords "salt substitute," "low-sodium salt," "potassium salt," "mineral salt," and "sodium reduced salt" in six official languages of the United Nations were used for the search. Information about the brand, formula, labeling, and price was extracted and analyzed., Results: A total of 87 low-sodium salts were available in 47 out of 195 (24%) countries worldwide, including 28 high-income countries, 13 upper-middle-income countries, and 6 lower-middle-income countries. The proportion of sodium chloride varied from 0% (sodium-free) to 88% (as percent of weight; regular salt is 100% sodium chloride). Potassium chloride was the most frequent component with levels ranging from 0% to 100% (potassium chloride salt). A total of 43 (49%) low-sodium salts had labels with the potential health risks, and 33 (38%) had labels with the potential health benefits. The median price of low-sodium salts in high-income, upper-middle-income, and lower-middle-income countries was US $15.00/kg (IQR 6.4-22.5), US $2.70/kg (IQR 1.7-5.5), and US $2.90/kg (IQR 0.50-22.2), respectively. The price of low-sodium salts was between 1.1 and 14.6 times that of regular salts., Conclusions: Low-sodium salts are not widely available and are commonly more expensive than regular salts. Policies that promote the availability, affordability, and labeling of low-sodium salts should increase uptake, helping populations reduce blood pressure and prevent cardiovascular diseases., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): RR2-10.1111/jch.14054., (©Xuejun Yin, Hueiming Liu, Jacqui Webster, Kathy Trieu, Mark D Huffman, J Jaime Miranda, Matti Marklund, Jason H Y Wu, Laura K Cobb, Ka Chun Li, Sallie-Anne Pearson, Bruce Neal, Maoyi Tian. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (https://publichealth.jmir.org), 14.07.2021.)

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a fast, low-cost, nondestructive, and truly multielement analytical technique. The objectives of this study are to quantify the amount of Na(+) and K(+) in samples of table salt (refined, marine, and light) and to compare three different methodologies of quantification using XRF. A fundamental parameter method revealed difficulties in quantifying accurately lighter elements (Z < 22). A univariate methodology based on peak area calibration is an attractive alternative, even though additional steps of data manipulation might consume some time. Quantifications were performed with good correlations for both Na (r = 0.974) and K (r = 0.992). A partial least-squares (PLS) regression method with five latent variables was very fast. Na(+) quantifications provided calibration errors lower than 16% and a correlation of 0.995. Of great concern was the observation of high Na(+) levels in low-sodium salts. The presented application may be performed in a fast and multielement fashion, in accordance with Green Chemistry specifications.