It may be low-sodium, but it isn't food salt

11/19/2009 08:38 am

Tags: food

Earlier this year a New Jersey startup "food manufacturer," Bon Vivant International , began marketing "NutraSalt an all-natural, low-sodium sea salt," claiming "66 percent less sodium than other salt products."

Well, I guess this "food manufacturer" makes other things than food. Food grade salt is required to have at least 97% sodium chloride. So NutraSalt cannot be food grade salt.

The founder claims: "The product can be sold as table salt and as an ingredient to food-service companies and food makers."

It would be interesting to know which "food-service companies and food makers" are using non-food-grade salt. Inquiring minds want to know.

Comments

GRAS substances used in food must be food grade

Saturday November 21 2009 10:46:07 am

Dick Hanneman

This comment e-mailed to the Salt Institute pertains:

Salt is considered a common food ingredient that is generally recognized as safe (GRAS). See 21 CFR 182.1(a). All GRAS substances must be used in food in accordance with good manufacturing practice, which is defined to include the restrictions that the substance is of appropriate food grade and is prepared and handled as a food ingredient. See 21 CFR 182.1(b)(3). While FDA does not have a GRAS (or food additive) regulation for salt and has not set specifications for salt, the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC), which is commonly incorporated by reference in FDA ingredient regulations, does contain a monograph for "sodium chloride." The FCC monograph specifies that evaporated salt with up to 2% of suitable free-flowing or conditioning agents and anticaking agents must contain not less than 97.5% and not more than 100.5% of sodium chloride on a dried basis.

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