Sodium chloride replacement by potassium chloride in bread: Determination of sensorial potassium threshold and effect on dough properties and breadmaking quality

High sodium intakes represent an important risk factor for hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and kidney diseases. Even during the current COVID-19 pandemic, hypertension was related to higher mortality rate in patients with coronavirus. Thus, it is necessary to apply strategies to reduce or replace sodium content in food most widely consumed, like bread. This work aimed at determining the sensorial potassium threshold when potassium chloride is used as a sodium chloride replacer in bread formulation, and at analyzing the effects of such replacement on the properties of dough and on the technological and sensorial quality of bread. A decrease was observed in dough rheological properties with NaCl reduction in the formulation. Sensorial potassium threshold was determined and KCl was used in bread formulation as a NaCl replacement up to 0.92% of the regular salt content (2%) undetected by its characteristic taste. NaCl reduction resulted in bread with lower specific volume, higher firmness, faster staling and clearer crust. KCl bread showed similar technological to 2% NaCl bread. Finally, it was possible to replace 50% of NaCl with KCl without reducing quality and consumer acceptability.