Abstract: A salt substitute comprising whey mineral which is produced by reducing lactose and protein from whey, an alkali metal salt, and optionally an alkaline earth metal salt is disclosed. A seasoning which is prepared by combining the salt substitute with one or more subtances selected from sweeteners, protein hydrolyzates, amino acids and nucleic acid-related substances, as well as a foodstuff containing the salt substitute are also disclosed.The salt substitute produced by the method described herein has salty taste comparable to that of the common salt when used in the same way of the common salt, and allows the sodium ion intake to be lowered while keeping the taste of the foodstuff unchanged.

Abstract: A material to be dehydrated wrapped in a semipermeable sheet is dipped in a dehydrating solution to cause part of water contained in the material to be absorbed into the dehydrating solution to dehydrate the material, and the water-absorbed dehydrating solution is cooled and concentrated to adjust its temperaure and concentration, and sterilized as needed, to be used repeatedly for the dehydration treatment, thereby dehydrating a large amount of material to be treated without changing the quality of the material under consistent conditions with enhanced economy and efficiency.