C3.2 Where does salt come from and why is it so important?
Salt (SODIUM CHLORIDE) is very important for the food industry (as a preservative and also to add flavour), as a source of chemicals (a use includes cleaning products) and to treat roads in winter (as salty water has a lower freezing point than pure water).
Salt can be obtained from the sea or from underground deposits. The method used may be determined by how the salt is going to be used:
Salt is added to food for FLAVOURING and as a PRESERVATIVE. This is an advantage because salt gives flavour to food as well as enhances other flavours present in food. The food industry also uses salt preserve and process food.
Salt is an important component of a healthy diet. It is needed to maintain the concentrations of body fluids – it helps cells to take up nutrients and plays a crucial role in the transmission of electrical impulses in the nerves. However too much salt can increase a person’s blood pressure – having a high blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease and having a stroke. Government guidelines recommend that adults should eat 6g of salt a day.
Government departments, such as the Department of Health and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural affairs have a role in:
- Carrying out risk assessments in relation to chemicals in food
- Advising the public in relation to the effect of food on health and aim to minimise illnesses such as food poisoning.