Increasing saltiness of salts (NaCl) using mid-infrared radiation to reduce the health hazards

Abstract

Table salt, rock salt, and iodized salts (composed principally of NaCl) are commonly used in many areas, such as medicine, cooking, industry, or personal care. Common fried, salty, and spicy foods contain an excess of added salt, which has detrimental health effects, especially on the kidneys. Our research aims to enhance the inherent saltiness of these three salts, which would reduce intake and thereby minimize salt's health hazards. We invented a water-based 2–6 μm of Mid-Infrared Generating Atomizer (MIRGA), which, when applied to salts, caused changes in the salts' chemistry and enhanced saltiness, thus allowing the reduction of salt intake by 25%–30%. This easy-to-use technology did not show any side effects. MIRGA was found to have enhanced the saltiness, thus allowing the reduction of salt intake by 25%–30%. MIRGA is safe, portable, highly economical, unique in the mid-IR laser technology, and possesses vast research scope in other areas of food science.