Salt has been used as a food safety aid since ancient times.
All living things need water and cannot grow without itincluding bacteria that can causefood poisoning.
It’s also important to know that bacteria are not the only thing that can make you sick.
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Molds can also be a source of foodborne illness and are able survive higher salt levels than bacteria.
How Salty Is Salty?
The 10% salt solution would be around three times saltier than that.
Salt Content of Foods: Is It High Enough to Be Safe?
Even foods traditionally thought of as salt-preserved foods don’t.
The following nutrition information comes from theUniversity of Maine’spublication on sodium content in common foods.
In addition, many salt-preserved foods need to be refrigerated after opening to slow microbial growth.
For example:
Does Soy Sauce Need to Be Refrigerated?
It depends on the level of salt content.
Bacterial growth may occur in lower-sodium soy sauces over time and affect the food safety.
Do Higher Salt Levels Prevent Spoilage Better Than Lower Salt Levels?
Bacteria tend to grow differently depending on how salty the conditions.
The solutions come in different formulas and salt concentrations depending on what the organisms need to grow.
Some LBs have salt concentrations of around 10% while others are between 0.5%-5%.
Many of them also have sugar and other ingredients like yeast that help bacteria grow.
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2021;50(2):180-188. doi:10.1556/066.2020.00213
National Institutes of Health.Symptoms and Causes of Food Poisoning.
2017;10(1):531.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.NCEZID: Foodborne disease (food poisoning).
Satari L, Guillen A, Latorre-Perez A, Porcar M.Beyond Archaea: The Table Salt Bacteriome.Front Microbiol.
2021 Oct 29;12:714110. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2021.714110
U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service.Cutting Boards.
Consumer Reports.How To Tell Whether Expired Foods Are Safe To Eat.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.The Dangers of Raw Milk: Unpasteurized Milk Can Pose a Serious Health Risk.
South Dakota State University Extension.Re-heating and Re-eating Food.
