Atlit, Israel-based Salt of the Earth Ltd. won an IFT17 Food Expo Innovation Award for outstanding innovation for its flagship sodium-reduction ingredient, Mediterranean Umami. The ingredient solves the challenge of reducing sodium significantly in processed foods while being 100% natural and clean label. Mediterranean Umami is an “on-trend” sodium-reduction solution, possessing an umami flavor profile. It allows product developers to formulate across a range of lower-sodium applications, from meats, soups and sauces to bakery and ready-meals. Its unique blend of simple, consumer-friendly ingredients include natural vegetable extracts and sea-salt.

The IFT17 Food Expo Innovation Awards program—inaugurated in 2007—honors “outstanding innovation in products, ingredients, applications, instruments, equipment, technology, and services.” A panel of eight jurors from industry, academia, and government, with expertise in ingredients, product development, processing and packaging technology, and food safety, reviewed all entries before voting for Salt of the Earth’s Mediterranean Umami.

“We are honored to receive this prestigious innovation award for our sodium-reduction ingredient,” said Dovik Tal, CEO of Salt of the Earth. “IFT is the premier organization for the food industry, and this recognition highlights the awareness of the need for significant sodium reduction and the importance of effective natural and clean-label solutions for the industry.”