Spray-Dried Salt-Starch Particles for Sodium Reduction and Saltiness Maintenance in Extruded Snacks

Excessive sodium consumption is a global public health problem that demands technological innovations in processed foods. This study aimed to reduce the sodium content in extruded corn snacks while maintaining perceived saltiness by substituting common salt with compound microparticles (70% NaCl, 30% starch). Two drying methods were evaluated: spray drying and conventional oven drying. The snacks were subjected to physicochemical, instrumental (texture and colour), density, porosity, microstructural, and sensory analyses (intensity scale, n = 104). The results demonstrated that the particles obtained by spray drying allowed a 28% reduction in the final sodium content without statistically differing in saltiness perception compared to the control. In contrast, the oven treatment reduced saltiness perception compared to the standard. Images obtained by scanning electron microscopy, along with porosity measurements, demonstrated a significant increase in porosity in the spray-dried sample. This allows rapid dissolution of the salt in the mouth, maintaining a salty taste even with reduced sodium content. It was concluded that the use of salt–starch microparticles via spray drying was a viable strategy for producing snacks with reduced sodium content without compromising sensory quality.