# US 11,992,034 B2 · Low sodium salt composition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,992,034 B2 - Document ID: US11992034B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/175,028 - Filed: 2023-02-27 - Published: 2023-07-13 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2019-08-08 - Assignees: Microsalt Ltd. - Applicants: Salarius Ltd. - Inventors: Javier Contreras; Victor Hugo Manzanilla - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992034B2 ## CPC - A23L 27/40: Table salts; Dietetic salt substitutes - A23B 2/93: Spray drying - A23L 7/122: Coated, filled, multilayered or hollow ready-to-eat cereals - A23L 19/18: Roasted or fried products, e.g. snacks or chips - A23L 25/25: {coated with a layer} - A23L 27/70: {Fixation, conservation, or encapsulation of flavouring agents} - A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) - A23B: PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES - A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION ## Abstract Salt particles adhered to a bulk carrier of the present invention are improved over prior alternative salts by having smaller salt particles adhered to a bulk carrier are achieved through modifications of variables for production of salt adhered to carrier particles, including starting solid composition, salt-carrier slurry composition, inlet and outlet drying temperature, slurry temperature, and moisture content control. The resulting salt-carrier product of salt adhered to carrier particles can be produced with much smaller salt particles of about 100 nanometers to less than 2 microns adhered to a carrier, which in turn improves electrostatic forces that help the salt-carrier product better adhere to and coat a food product than salts not adhered to a carrier particle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A salt-carrier product formed by a process comprising: providing an aqueous salt-carrier slurry comprising an aqueous solvent and a selected percent by weight of a solids mixture, wherein the solids mixture comprises a salt present in an amount between about 3.9% by weight and less than 25% by weight of the aqueous solvent, and a carrier medium present in an amount between about 2.77% by weight and less than 25% by weight of the aqueous solvent, wherein the aqueous salt-carrier slurry comprises the salt plus the carrier in an amount of about 10% to 36% by weight of the aqueous salt-carrier slurry, wherein the aqueous salt-carrier slurry is prepared by heating the salt, the carrier, and water to a temperature of about 176° F.±10° F. until the water, salt, and carrier are substantially dissolved to a moisture content of about 1.2% to 5%; and exposing the aqueous salt-carrier slurry to a drying process to both: A) form a carrier particle comprised of the carrier medium; and B) form a plurality of salt particles of an average size of less than 100 nanometers on the surface of the carrier particle; wherein the salt carrier product adheres better to foods than salt that is not adhered to a carrier particle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The salt-carrier product of claim 1, wherein the carrier medium is maltodextrin and the drying process is a freeze drying, spray drying, spray cooking, or roll drying process. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The salt-carrier product of claim 2, wherein the salt is a salt of sodium, chloride, potassium, or sulfate ion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The salt-carrier product of claim 3, wherein the carrier medium is a bulking agent, carbohydrate or its derivative, hydrocolloid, protein, protein derivative, yeast extract, flavor enhancer, lipid, mineral, or salt. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The product of claim 4, wherein the carrier medium comprises two or more different medium materials. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The product of claim 4, wherein the carrier particle has an interior portion substantially devoid of salt crystals. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The salt-carrier product of claim 6, wherein the foods are selected from the group consisting of potato chips, corn chips, and nuts. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The salt-carrier product of claim 1, wherein exposing the aqueous salt-carrier slurry to the drying process is followed by a cyclone process. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The salt-carrier product of claim 1, wherein the aqueous salt-carrier slurry comprises the salt plus the carrier in an amount of about 15% to 35% by weight of the aqueous salt-carrier slurry. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The salt-carrier product of claim 1, wherein the aqueous salt-carrier slurry comprises the salt plus the carrier in an amount of less than 36% by weight of the aqueous salt-carrier slurry. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The salt-carrier product of claim 1, wherein the salt is present in an amount between about 3.9% by weight and less than 14.9% by weight of the aqueous solvent. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The salt-carrier product of claim 1, wherein the drying process comprises spray-drying using a spray drier outlet temperature of 200° F.±25° F. ### Claim 13 A salt-carrier product formed by a process comprising: providing an aqueous salt-carrier slurry comprising an aqueous solvent and a selected percent by weight of a solids mixture, wherein the solids mixture comprises a salt present in an amount between about 2.5% by weight and less than 14.9% by weight of the aqueous solvent, and a carrier medium present in an amount between about 2.77% by weight and less than 25% by weight of the aqueous solvent, wherein the aqueous salt-carrier slurry comprises the salt plus the carrier in an amount of about 10% to 36% by weight of the aqueous salt-carrier slurry, wherein the aqueous salt-carrier slurry is prepared by heating the salt, the carrier, and water to a temperature of about 176° F.±10° F. until the water, salt, and carrier are substantially dissolved to a moisture content of about 1.2% to 5%; and exposing the aqueous salt-carrier slurry to a drying process to both: A) form a carrier particle comprised of the carrier medium; and B) form a plurality of salt particles of an average size of less than 100 nanometers on the surface of the carrier particle; wherein the salt carrier product adheres better to foods than salt that is not adhered to a carrier particle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The salt-carrier product of claim 13, wherein the drying process comprises spray-drying using a spray drier outlet temperature of 200° F.±25° F. and the drying process is followed by a cyclone process. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The salt-carrier product of claim 13, wherein the aqueous salt-carrier slurry comprises the salt plus the carrier in an amount between about 10% and less than 36% by weight of the aqueous salt-carrier slurry. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The salt-carrier product of claim 13, wherein the aqueous salt-carrier slurry comprises the salt plus the carrier in an amount of about 15% to 35% by weight of the aqueous salt-carrier slurry. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The salt-carrier product of claim 13, wherein the carrier medium is maltodextrin and the drying process is a freeze drying, spray drying, spray cooking, or roll drying process. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The salt-carrier product of claim 17, wherein the salt is a salt of sodium, chloride, potassium, or sulfate ion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The salt-carrier product of claim 18, wherein the carrier medium comprises two or more carriers selected from the group consisting of a bulking agent, carbohydrate or its derivative, hydrocolloid, protein, protein derivative, yeast extract, flavor enhancer, lipid, mineral, or salt. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The salt-carrier product of claim 13, wherein the foods are selected from the group consisting of potato chips, corn chips, and nuts.