Table Salt

[barry1010]

I always thought table salt was table salt and that there was no difference. I was surprised that Saxa is much saltier than Tesco own.

Has anyone else found this?

[Mamyalynne]

Exactly what I said - the larger the grain of salt then the bigger the pop of flavour.

[ummmm]

As big as your mouth? That's far too much salt, can't be good for you.

[tiggerblue10]

Are the grains more likely known as crystals? Crystals are a lot larger than grains so a smaller amount is needed. I've used them in a salt mill.

[Mamyalynne]

I didn't see anyone say as big as your mouth, sorry,only nipped back in between shopping.

[Mamyalynne]

Seen it now, how odd.

[ummmm]

Mamy - JJ said it. Last answer on previous page.

[woofgang]

mamya, JJ said it...but I don't think she meant a salt gobstopper!

[ummmm]

I don't think she did either...lol

[Mamyalynne]

Hope not.

[jennyjoan]

JJ said it JJ said it - omg little kiddies.

[ummmm]

But you did say it. Clearly Woof and I cross posted.

[Barmaid]

JJ no need to be like that. I'm not sure what you meant either. As big as your mouth?

I can't say I have compared the two in the OP but I do think they vary. I do tend to use sea salt flakes though. And I LOVE smoked sea salt.

I always keep a tube of table salt. It's just so handy.

[sherrardk]

Salt grains are not as big as your gob.

Paul Ainsworth did a piece on some show where he explained all about salt and when to use each sort (but he was mainly putting it in ice cream at the time).

[ummmm]

I think she was telling me to shut up :-)

[sherrardk]

Maybe she should have just said ‘shut up’ :)

[theprof]

Ok folks I'll answer seriatim:

Togo, table salt is indeed finely ground and contains added sodium hexacyanoferrate (II) (E535)also known as potassium ferrocyanide as an anti-caking agent. The addition of the latter chemical does not alter or weaken the saltiness of salt because 1) Potassium ferrocyanide is virtually tasteless and 2) the quantity used per Kg of culinary salt is legally limited to a miniscule amount per Kg. Table salt is not highly processed in any sense of the phrase. PDV salt manufacture (the type you sprinkle on your food) is made with one of the least methods of processing that exists. The claim that it tastes "weaker" due to any processing is quite frankly rubbish. The salt still contains approximately 39% sodium (the part that gives it its saltiness) no matter what you do with it and the sodium content remains precisely the same for culinary salt no matter if you buy Tesco, Sainsbury's or Saxa salt.

jno, let's be honest about this and agree that if we pay a premium price for a food product, we expect it to be of better quality and taste better than a supermarkets own brand. We all do it. I expect Heinz Baked Beans to taste better than Lidl Beans. Currently, a drum of Saxa salt is slightly over a pound in most shops: a week ago, a plastic drum of about the same weight in a budget supermarket I visited was £0.17. Both contain just salt and the anti-caking agent and are manufactured at the same site in most cases. Brainwashing us into thinking that one product is superior to another based on price has been the name of the game in the food industry for years via advertising etc. We expect Saxa to taste better, so for many, it does just that. It is all in the mind.

[THECORBYLOON]

I have only ever used table or cooking salt but would the size and surface area of other types of salt affect the rate they disolve in the mouth or food and thus affect the saltiness?

[theprof]

Yes it would indeed THECORBYLOON. Salt flakes do taste saltier than ordinary culinary salt because they do have a larger surface area. In fact, ordinary cooking salt should theoretically taste saltier than table salt because the crystals are slightly larger. In practice, the difference is imperceptible.

[jno]

theprof, I agree with what you say, but barry didn't buy it - it was a substitute for the one he actually ordered, and he was surprised that it tasted different.

[theprof]

jno, I accept that Barry didn't buy it. The point I was making was that when you see a container of Saxa salt nowadays, you automatically assume that the salt will taste better than any given cheaper one that you ordered. The more costly an item is, the better we think it will be.

Put half a dozen tins of Heinz baked beans on a table and half a dozen tins of Lidl baked beans next to them and invite your friends to take some cans home with them. You don't need me to tell you which cans will disappear first - unless they don't like Heinz of course!