Various sea salts have historically been used as sterilizing agents, but new lab studies are showing evidence that they actually have the potential to spoil foods. Scientists took several sea salt specimens and examined their progression under a microscope. It was shown that they actually included spoiling molds which have the potential to speed up the fermentation process of foods. This completely contradicts prior beliefs that sea salts could be used as a preservative or sterilizing agent.
Key Takeaways:
- Sea salts are artisanal products and they are savored by food lovers, but a recent study has found that sea salts can cause spoilage molds.
- One of the researchers, Megan Biango-Daniels, said that the discovery of spoilage molds on sea salts contradicts the conventional wisdom that these products are sterile.
- Seven different commercial salts were used in the study in which sea salts that were grown in the lab for identification had fungi extracted from them.
“Based on the study headed by Kathie Hodge, a mycologist from Cornell University, and doctoral candidate Megan Biango-Daniels, there are varying levels of mold contamination in commercial sea salts.”
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