Salt
Salt suppliers and sourcing guide
Salt is crystalline sodium chloride. Most food-grade salt is made by evaporating purified brine pumped from underground deposits (vacuum-pan salt); the rest is mined rock salt or solar salt evaporated from sea water, then washed, dried and screened. Brands buy granulated, extra-fine (flour), flake and coarse grades, plain or iodized, and often with a small amount of anticaking agent.
- Category
- Food staples and powders
- Also known as
- Sodium chloride · NaCl · Table salt · Common salt
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of salt
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Granulated (vacuum pan)
Uniform cubic crystals of high purity, the standard grade for general food manufacturing.
Extra-fine or flour salt
Milled very fine for dry blends, seasonings and coatings where fast dissolving and even dispersion matter.
Flake and coarse
Pyramid flakes or large crystals for topping, brines and finishing.
Iodized
Salt with an added iodine source such as potassium iodide, often with a stabilizer.
Free-flowing
Salt with an anticaking agent such as calcium silicate or sodium ferrocyanide to resist caking in humid conditions.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Sodium chloride assay
- Purity as NaCl on a dry basis, usually by argentometric titration of chloride.
- Moisture
- Loss on drying; higher moisture means caking and less salt per kilogram.
- Insolubles and other ions
- Water-insoluble matter plus calcium, magnesium and sulfate, which show how refined the salt is.
- Heavy metals
- Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury by ICP-MS against the supplier's specification.
- Particle size
- Sieve analysis, which drives flow, dissolution speed and how salt adheres to snacks.
- Iodine content
- For iodized salt, iodine by titration, since iodine can be lost during storage.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Salt does not spoil, but it absorbs moisture from humid air and cakes, so store it sealed, dry and off the floor. Keep iodized salt away from heat, light and moisture, which speed iodine loss. Suppliers give a best-before or retest date on their specification, which matters most for iodized and anticaking grades.
Lots and expiry dates
Particle size and moisture vary between lots and source plants, which changes flow, dissolution and adhesion on snacks. Record purity, sieve results and, for iodized salt, the iodine level, and rotate iodized stock first-in, first-out.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 101.61(c) states that the term "salt" is not synonymous with "sodium" and that salt refers to sodium chloride.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)21 CFR 184.1634 allows potassium iodide to be used in table salt as a source of dietary iodine at a maximum level of 0.01 percent.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)21 CFR 182.2227 lists calcium silicate as generally recognized as safe at levels not exceeding 2 percent in table salt.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)Canada's Food Compositional Standards define salt, other than crude rock salt, as crystalline sodium chloride that may contain not more than 1.4% of calcium sulphate or potassium chloride and 0.1% of other naturally present substances.
Source: inspection.canada.ca (opens in a new tab)
This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Salt suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking salt suppliers now
Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.
Sell salt? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of salt can brands buy?
Common forms include granulated (vacuum pan), extra-fine or flour salt, flake and coarse, iodized and free-flowing. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for salt include?
Expect sodium chloride assay, moisture, insolubles and other ions, heavy metals, particle size and iodine content, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should salt be stored?
Salt does not spoil, but it absorbs moisture from humid air and cakes, so store it sealed, dry and off the floor. Keep iodized salt away from heat, light and moisture, which speed iodine loss. Suppliers give a best-before or retest date on their specification, which matters most for iodized and anticaking grades.
What is the regulatory status of salt?
21 CFR 101.61(c) states that the term "salt" is not synonymous with "sodium" and that salt refers to sodium chloride. 21 CFR 184.1634 allows potassium iodide to be used in table salt as a source of dietary iodine at a maximum level of 0.01 percent. 21 CFR 182.2227 lists calcium silicate as generally recognized as safe at levels not exceeding 2 percent in table salt. Canada's Food Compositional Standards define salt, other than crude rock salt, as crystalline sodium chloride that may contain not more than 1.4% of calcium sulphate or potassium chloride and 0.1% of other naturally present substances.
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