A few weeks back, grocery stores and super shops across Bangladesh were at the centre of a bizarre phenomenon. Fueled by a rumour that there is a shortage of supply, anxious people were looking to stack up on edible salt, triggering panic buying. Although the chaos lasted momentarily, the incident reminded everyone that salt is one of the essential elements of our everyday life and even a minor disruption of its supply can cause anguish across the country.
Salt has been an essential part of human civilisation since the pre-historic times. It has played a crucial role in our evolution as a salt-based diet leads to improved cognition. For thousands of years, salt has been used to preserve food and to improve the taste. It is also used to as a colour controller, binder, texturiser and fermentation control agent. Salt is one of the five primary flavours that humans can sense (the others are sweet, savoury, sour and bitter), it’s the only mineral compound for which animals can genuinely develop a craving. The use of salt in cooking should go further than merely sprinkling over the food as they are being prepared; it should be used to make the most of ingredients and create great tasting food.
ICE Today explores the different ways that salt can be used in cooking and how it can transform the food you eat.
Seasoning
Salt is used to bring out the flavours of a particular dish or to make bland foods tastier. For example, salt can help to increase the natural sweetness of tomatoes and enhance their flavour. Also, salting proteins, such as meats and pulses, is commonly used to maximise flavour. Salting foods to taste will help to bring the best out of the ingredients. It is also widely used to prevent foods from tasting bitter. Interestingly adding a pinch of salt to dark chocolate will make it sweeter, not saltier. Rather than being a cognitive sensation, the bitter taste of food occurs on a molecular level and can be diminished by using salt.
Binding Agent
Salt helps extract the myofibrillar (muscle fibril) proteins in processed and formed meats binding the meat together and reducing cooking losses. It also increases the solubility of muscle proteins.
Colour Controller
Salt promotes the development of colour in foods. When used with sugar and nitrate or nitrite, salt produces a glow in processed meats which consumers like to see. It also enhances the golden colour in bread crust by reducing sugar destruction in the dough and increasing caramelisation.
Texture Aid
Salt strengthens the gluten in bread dough, providing uniform grain, texture and allowing it to expand without tearing. It also improves the tenderness of cured meats by promoting the binding of moisture by protein. It also gives a smooth, firm texture to processed meats. Salt develops the characteristic rind hardness and helps produced the even consistency in cheese.
Fermentation Control
In baked products, salt controls fermentation by restraining the growth of bacteria, yeast and moulds, preventing wild fermentation. It is essential in ensuring a uniform product and reducing the opportunity for harmful bacteria.
Over the years, many professional chefs cite salt as the most critical ingredient to cook with. It is one of the essential elements in any recipe. However, the concern over the quality of salt we consume is not a rumour.
Bangladesh consumes more than 1.5 million tons of salt every year; a large share of the consumed salt is impure, sub-standard and contains impurities which are harmful to the human body. Impure salt can have serious health implications including kidney damage, swelling of the body and nausea. According to the latest report of BSTI (Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution), most branded salts currently in the market are sub-standard and contains impurities harmful for the human body.
Noticeably, one of the most popular brands, Fresh Premium Super Salt, was cleared by BSTI and passed all the benchmarks of standard and quality. Fresh Super Premium Salt is produced by using the combination of Switzerland’s World Latest Technology and Vacuum Evaporation System which can remove all impurities and ensures a natural balance of all minerals like Sodium Chloride, Iodine, Calcium, and Magnesium. As a result, it helps to create balanced electrolytes, activate nerve function, and carries the nutrients to reach every cell within our body. Its balanced Iodine also helps to promote brain development and improve the immune system. Currently, Fresh Super Premium is the most reliable salt available in the market.