Lower-sodium dim sum passes the taste test

Marcus Lum

Dim sum can still be delicious with a 10 to 20 percent reduction in sodium, according to the Centre for Food Safety, which is encouraging people to adopt a low-sodium diet for better health.

This recommendation follows a risk assessment study conducted in March and April, which evaluated 72 people on reduced-sodium dim sum formulations.

John Shum Kin-cheong, the center's senior medical officer of risk assessment, said shrimp siu mai and steamed pork ribs with black bean sauce were chosen for the study due to their popularity and relatively high sodium content. "The dishes were prepared using 'standard dim sum' and 'reduced-sodium dim sum' formulas - both prepared and heated in the same way," Shum said.

To evaluate if there are any differences in flavor, participants tasted three samples and randomly selected two formula combinations.

The results indicated that only 15 could distinguish the siu mai formulas, while 13 identified differences in the pork ribs. This was below the expected threshold of 32 participants, suggesting that reducing sodium had little impact on taste.

Tony Chow Chor-yiu, principal medical officer of risk assessment and communication, said the study aimed to encourage the industry to experiment with lower-sodium recipes.

He recommended that restaurants serve sauces separately, allowing customers to adjust flavors to their liking.

Chow said a high-sodium diet is a risk factor for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.

He suggested chefs use ingredients like star anise to enhance flavors and encouraged people to gradually reduce salt intake and adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Regarding future testing of a wider variety of dim sum, Chow said the study is a preliminary step that could serve as a basis for further discussions on sodium reduction within the industry.

He clarified that market versions of dim sum were not tested to eliminate variations in cooking techniques but focus solely on the impact of sodium on taste.