The Saltiness Scale

Depending on the source and the goals, the quantity of salt can be measured in a few different ways. In the lab where I worked, I used an electrolyte analyzer that directly read out numerical values on a computer screen from my research samples. It gave me a sense of how much sodium and chlorine were present.

But to measure saltiness or how salty a dish might taste, researchers use a subjective measure called a hedonic scale. This tool takes into account whether the taster likes or dislikes a taste and by how much. Similar to the way in which a judge decides what jam or marmalade will win a competition at a food fair, a group of people are selected to taste a variety of food samples, and they rate their responses on a questionnaire. Their responses can be converted to a numerical score, which makes it easier for food scientists and researchers to analyze. Some researchers also record facial reactions of taste testers and report these observations in their studies.