Last week we reached across the table (while saying, “excuse me,” of course) and discovered the amazing and lengthy history of salt. We traced it from 2250 B.C., when it was one of the most valuable things in the world, all the way to modern society, where we can find it everywhere!
This week, we’re asking “Why It Matters?” from a different angle: what’s the scientific quality of salt that made it so important in the first place?
The most critical reason that salt became so valuable is that it naturally absorbs water from any environment. Back before people had refrigerators and freezers, there was a desperate need and desire to store food safely over long periods of time, especially during the winter. This is where salt saves the day! Salt is able to take away moisture, which prevents harmful mold and bacteria from reproducing in food.
How it Works
Salt is able to dehydrate its environments because cell membranes (the walls of every cell) like balance. Through a process called osmosis, water moves across cell membranes to make salt and water concentrations equal on both sides. When one side is pure salt, the other side will be almost completely drained of moisture as the membranes try to balance. Therefore, osmosis, triggered by salt, prevents the harmful growth of bacteria and mold.
How it’s Used
This technique is still used to cure meats, such as prosciutto. Typically, meats are covered in a special salt blend and then hung in the air to cure. While this used to be common practice, we don’t recommend curing your own meats without further research.
It’s now clear why everyone who was anyone back in the day wanted to get their hands (and their food) on some salt!
~Text by Grant Durando, Photo from St Lorenzo Salt
Returning to our kitchen?