SodaLo salt has reduced salt levels by more than 50 per cent without compromising volume, texture, taste or weight according to Eminate.

The patent-pending salt is formed of free-flowing microscopic hollow balls, unlike the structure of regular slat crystals, which have the consistency of talc and last 18 months.

Trials in sausages, crisp, cakes and bread have so far proved successful with further tests planned on bakery premixes.

Eminate technical director, Dr Stephen Minter, said: "We have a water-soluble and an oil-soluble version and we have also been experimenting with encapsulating flavours, colours and bioactives such as pharmaceuticals within the balls.

"People don't want to use potassium chloride, flavour enhancers, nucleic acid, yeast extracts and peptides. This is just salt, only smaller."

Although more expensive than salt, SodaLo is competitively placed compared with other salt replacers and can be labelled as salt on products, added Minter.