TekSalt: a mineral‑rich salt changing sodium reduction

A new mineral‑rich salt developed in Cornwall is reshaping how food and drink manufacturers approach sodium reduction, offering a route to lower salt levels without the flavour loss that has historically limited reformulation.

Cornish Sea Salt has launched TekSalt, a next‑generation mineralised sea salt designed as a direct replacement for standard PDV salt in manufacturing. Unlike first‑generation solutions that rely heavily on potassium chloride — often introducing bitterness or metallic notes — TekSalt uses natural sea salt crystals coated in a mineral‑rich brine containing calcium, potassium, and magnesium. The result is a salt with lower sodium and higher taste intensity, enabling manufacturers to reduce salt usage while maintaining established flavour profiles.

For an industry under pressure to meet HFSS and category‑specific salt targets, the development marks a shift from substitution to mineral‑led formulation. By restoring balance within salt itself, TekSalt aims to remove the long‑standing trade‑off between health and taste.

Early trials within major UK food manufacturers indicate that TekSalt integrates easily into existing processes. In savoury pastry applications, sodium was reduced by up to 20% without affecting flavour, while separate development kitchen work achieved reductions of up to 50% in selected formulations. Manufacturers reported no negative impact on texture, mouthfeel, or processing behaviour — a key barrier in previous reformulation attempts.

TekSalt is engineered to be free‑flowing and production‑ready, ensuring consistent dosing and ease of handling across categories including ready meals, bakery, sauces, snacks, dairy, meat, fish, and plant‑based foods. Despite being derived from premium sea salt, it is commercially aligned with other sodium‑reduction solutions, positioning it as a scalable option for high‑volume manufacturing.

Foodservice operators are also adopting the ingredient. In independent taste testing, 90% of foodservice professionals preferred TekSalt over leading potassium‑based low‑sodium salts, citing improved flavour, reduced bitterness, and better mouthfeel — factors that directly influence consumer acceptance.

Philip Tanswell, managing director at Cornish Sea Salt, said the launch addresses a long‑standing industry challenge.

“For too long, sodium reduction has meant accepting a compromise in taste. TekSalt changes that. By restoring natural mineral balance, we can help the industry deliver healthier food that still meets consumer expectations.”

Produced in Cornwall using natural sea salt and enriched brine, TekSalt reflects the mineral composition of local waters and is manufactured in an energy‑efficient salt house powered by renewable energy. The company says this provenance strengthens its appeal for brands seeking cleaner labels and stronger sustainability narratives.

The TekSalt range includes coarse, fine, and smoked variants — TekSalt Coarse, TekSalt Fine, TekSalt Smoked Fine, and TekSalt Smoked Coarse — all designed for food manufacturing applications.

As demand grows for healthier products without sensory compromise, TekSalt positions mineral‑rich salt as a new tool for manufacturers seeking to reduce sodium while protecting flavour, quality, and commercial performance.