Encapsulation of salt for food applications: recent trends and prospects

Excessive sodium intake remains a global health concern, intensifying the need for sodium reduction strategies that preserve sensory quality and product functionality. Conventional salt-reduction approaches often compromise flavor, stability, and consumer acceptance. This review synthesizes recent advances in salt encapsulation technologies, including nano-salt engineering, hollow-salt particles, multistimuli-responsive delivery matrices, and advanced emulsion systems, to enhance saltiness perception while reducing overall sodium content. Key developments in spray drying, fluidized-bed coating, coacervation, freeze drying, supramolecular nano-salt complexes, and enzyme-triggered release mechanisms are critically examined. Mechanistic relationships among particle structure, dissolution kinetics, sensory contrast, and oral processing behavior are emphasized. The review further highlights analytical innovations such as electronic tongues, micro-computed tomography, in-mouth tribology, and emerging neuroimaging tools (functional magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography) for quantifying salt perception. Challenges, including hygroscopicity, scalability, regulatory concerns, and matrix-specific performance, are discussed along with a research roadmap for next-generation salt delivery systems.