On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 1215

crystals, are the densest salts, and take the
longesttodissolve.Standardtablesaltisoften
supplemented with additives, as much as 2%
of the total weight, that prevent the crystal
surfacesfromabsorbingmoistureandsticking
to each other. These additives include
aluminum and silicon compounds of sodium
and calcium, silicon dioxide — the material
of glass and ceramics (p. 788) — and
magnesium carbonate. Other compounds
calledhumectantsmaybeaddedtokeepthese
additives from excessive drying and caking.
Most anticaking additives do not dissolve as
readily as salt, and cloud the brines for
pickled vegetables, so specialized pickling
salts omit them. These additives may also
contribute slight undesirable tastes of their
own.
Iodized Salt Many granulated table salts and
some sea salts are fortified with potassium
iodide to help prevent devastating iodide


deficiency(below).Thispracticebeganinthe
United States in 1924. Because iodide is
sensitive to acidity, manufacturers usually
supplementiodizedsaltwithstabilizingtraces
ofsodiumcarbonateorthiosulfateandsugar.
When dissolved in chlorinated tap water,
iodized salt can develop a distinct seaweedlike iodine odor, the result of a reaction
betweentheiodideandchlorinecompounds.

Flake Salt Flake salts come in flat, extended
particlesratherthancompact,densegranules.
Flake salts are produced by surface
evaporation of the mother brine, or by
mechanicallyrollinggranulatedsalts.Maldon
sea salt from the south coast of England
includes individual hollow-pyramid crystals
measuringasmuchasahalf-inch/1cmacross.
The large particles of flake salts and
minimally processed sea salts are easier to
measureandaddbythepinch.Sprinkledonto
afoodatthelastminute,flakesaltprovidesa