A local, low-salt mustard that might be just as tasty as the regular version!

Too much salt is bad for our health. At the same time, we need to make our food system more sustainable. Mostival, a collaboration between Hanze University of Applied Sciences and De Marne Mosterd, brings these two challenges together. They developed a low-salt mustard using mustard seeds grown in Groningen.

At Zwarte Cross, they tested whether festival visitors could taste the difference and whether they would buy the low-salt version. Around 550 visitors took part in taste tests, a survey and woolmapping about health and sustainability. In the triangle test, participants were given three mustard samples, one of which was the low-salt version. The goal was to see whether they could identify the difference in taste.

Most participants could not tell the low-salt mustard apart from the regular version. Those who did notice a difference often found the low-salt version very tasty. Overall, it was rated just as highly as the regular mustard. It was also well received across all age groups, genders and provinces.

Sustainability plays a role in people’s choices, but price remains the deciding factor. Participants said they would be unwilling to pay much, if anything, extra for a low-salt version. Those who noticed a difference also spontaneously gave detailed feedback on what they tasted. They also shared ideas for the product’s packaging and marketing.

The results provide a strong case for bringing the low-salt mustard to market. A price similar to regular mustard seems the most promising approach. The next step is to test different types of packaging. Will consumers consciously choose a low-salt label in the supermarket, without tasting the product first? A scientific paper on the research is also in the works.