quality of frozen baked goods. Another sodium-containing additive is sodium metabisulfite. This acts as a dough-softening agent that can increase the extensibility of dough or be used to speed up dough development when high-speed mixing methods are not desirable (e.g., when fruit is incorporated into the dough and would be damaged by high-speed mixing) (Cauvain, 2003).

Salt also helps to control the growth of molds and the Bacillus species of bacteria, thus extending the shelf life of baked goods (Betts et al., 2007). The Bacillus species is capable of forming rope-like structures, off-flavors, and discoloration, especially in baked goods high in sugar or fats (Doyle et al., 2001). However, sugars, not salt, are the primary means of controlling water activity in many baked products; therefore many of the food preservation concerns with bakery products are not dependent on control by salt (Smith et al., 2004).

Unprocessed cuts of meat have some naturally occurring sodium, but are generally considered low in sodium. However, as described earlier, in recent years, fresh meat products increasingly have been injected with salt-and phosphate-containing brines, increasing the sodium content of fresh products.