Table Salt as a Flavor Potentiator

While table salt is generally classified as a flavoring agent (basic taste), it clearly functions as a flavor potentiator as well. There is little question that to most individuals, foods without salt are very bland and lack flavor. Salt contributes much more to sensory perception than simply adding a salty taste. Interestingly, this taste for salt is acquired. 

Like MSG, salt has a generally unfavorable status with the consumer. Salt is associated with hypertension in some individuals, which contributes to stroke and some types of cardiovascular disease. There has been substantial research effort directed at finding salt substitutes, but other than K+ chloride, little has been found that elicits a true salty taste. Unfortunately, K+ is bitter and thus not well received. Some research has shown that the addition of MSG and/or 5 -nucleotides reduces the need for salt. There are other reports of L-lysine and L-arginine [39], L-omithine-P-alanine [40,41], and trehalose [42] enhancing salt perception (thereby reducing usage level). 

---