---
title: Product Info | Grande Gusto Sodium Reduction
description: Learn how Grande Gusto products reduce lactose with whey ingredients and replace cheese in soups & sauces as well as reduced sodium, fat and calories.
---
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# Grande Gusto®
Optimize cheese sauces, soups and dips with natural dairy ingredients
Grande Gusto® reduced-lactose whey protein ingredients are tailored to optimize the quality of your sauce, soup or dip production and maximize your raw material use. You’ll produce products with all the sensory properties consumers expect with lower sodium and optimized costs.
Rich, flavorful and savory cheese- and cheese powder-based sauces, dips and soups are sought after by consumers as the ultimate comfort food, yet health-conscious consumers worry about how these products could impact their focus on health and well-being.
**All-natural Grande Gusto products are innovative, clean-label ingredients that will help maintain the signature velvety texture and umami flavor that consumers love and reduce sodium, fat and calories by up to 10%!**
### Key Product Attributes
- Enriches texture and mouthfeel
- Rich, dairy flavor
- Improves nutrition
- Clean label
- Shelf-stable
- 18-month shelf life
- Freeze-thaw stable
- Durable and easily incorporated into existing food production systems
### Have a formulation challenge?
[Let's Connect
](https://www.grandecig.com/gusto#gusto-cta)
### Want To Learn More?
Grande Gusto® 100 can help food formulators reduce up to 30% of natural and processed cheese in fluid sauces, dips and soups while still delivering the same cheesy goodness that consumers love with reduced fat, sodium, calories and cost.
Grande Gusto® 200 can help food formulators deliver that velvety, cheese-like mouthfeel in dry powder mix sauces, dips and soups, often with improved nutrition and cost.
##### RESOURCES
- [Overcoming Challenges of Reduced Sodium Foods](https://www.grandecig.com/blog/overcoming-challenges-of-sodium-reduction-in-foods)
- [FDA Guidelines: How to Reduce Sodium Without Chemicals](https://www.grandecig.com/blog/food-manufacturers-reduce-sodium-without-chemicals)
- [Is Whey Protein Concentrate a Natural Ingredient?](https://www.grandecig.com/blog/is-whey-protein-concentrate-a-natural-ingredient)
- [How to Improve Texture, the Key to Satiety](https://www.grandecig.com/blog/improve-texture)
- [Video: New Way To Formulate Clean Label Cheese Sauces](https://www.grandecig.com/blog/formulate-clean-label-cheese-sauces)
- [What is Whey Protein Concentrate and How is It Made?](https://www.grandecig.com/blog/what-is-whey-protein-concentrate)
- [Classic American Comfort Foods Made With Whey Protein](https://www.grandecig.com/blog/classic-american-eats-made-with-whey-protein)
[View FAQs
](https://www.grandecig.com/gusto#faqs)
### Certifications & Labeling
- SQF Certifications for Food Safety and Quality
- USPH Grade A
- USDA
- EU
- Kosher Dairy
- Halal
- Ingredient statement: “Reduced Lactose Whey. Contains Milk.”
##### TECHNICAL & FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES
## Frequently Asked Questions
##### How is Grande Gusto made?
Gusto is derived from the cheesemaking process. We use a proprietary method to remove lactose from the whey through physical separation means. Spray drying is then used to remove water without the use of chemicals, resulting in a clean label manufacturing process.
##### How do consumers perceive Grande Gusto products on a label?
When surveyed, roughly half of consumers indicate they are “very receptive” to purchasing reduced lactose whey. It is one of the topmost appealing ingredients to purchase and is more likely to be perceived as “clean label” than several other ingredients, trailing only behind cornstarch and whey protein concentrate.
##### How does Grande Gusto enhance and improve food quality and nutrition?
Gusto 100 has savory notes that shine through even though there’s reduced sodium, fat and calories, allowing for savory flavors and creamy textures that are ideal for cheesy formulas.
In one controlled study, Gusto 100 went up against a full-fat macaroni and cheese formulation. The application with Gusto 100 had 30% less cheese, yet outperformed the control for taste, creaminess and nutrition.
Gusto 200 also improves flavor with its tangy dairy notes. It reduces sodium in powdered cheese and dry mix applications by 10% or more.
When compared with the control in one study, it outperformed for texture, flavor and mouthfeel due, in part, to its superior water-holding properties.
##### How do Grande Gusto products comply with clean label initiatives?
At Grande Custom Ingredients Group, all of our products are made following a [strict chain of custody](https://www.grandecig.com/blog/Ensuring-Quality-Products-by-Adhering-to-a-Strict-Chain-of-Custody) and production process that uses zero chemical modifications, additives, preservatives or antibiotics. These all-natural and sustainable products are recognized and accepted by consumers.
##### How can Grande Gusto reduce costs?
With Gusto, food manufacturers can lower ingredient costs on formulations like cheese soups and sauces by replacing a portion of the cheese or dry cheese powder. Its reliable availability and stable pricing eliminate concerns over supply chain issues and volatile cheese market prices. In addition, because Gusto 100 and 200 are dry ingredients that are shelf-stable and require no refrigeration, they help to minimize energy use, storage costs and spoilage.
##### How do Grande Gusto products enhance and improve food texture and mouthfeel?
Many alternative ingredients used in cheese formulations, such as potassium chloride, yeast extracts, maltodextrin and MSG can result in off-flavors, syneresis or gritty and unappetizing textures. They’re also not perceived as clean label by many consumers. Because of Grande’s proprietary process to create Gusto products, they not only maintain a formulation’s natural consistency, but they also have been shown to improve texture and mouthfeel when compared in controlled studies.
##### What common applications are Grande Gusto products used in?
Grande Gusto products are ideal for a variety of applications, such as cheese-based soups, sauces, dips and sides. Gusto 100 works best in fluid applications whereas Gusto 200 works best in dry powder applications. Both products incorporate easily into existing food systems.
### Let Us Help You Solve Formulation Challenges
Our team loves collaborating with formulators and R&D teams to overcome the toughest formulation challenges or make product improvements using all-natural ingredients. Contact us to get started.
[800-772-3210](tel:800-772-3210)
[gcig@grande.com](mailto:gcig@grande.com)
250 Camelot Drive
Fond du Lac, WI 54935
Copyright 2026 Grande Cheese Company. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
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