Can we use regular salt and market it as sea salt?

Hello everyone,

I would like to know if our marketing team can say it contains sea salt since it sounds better than table salt, according to them. To me salt is salt. I know there are different processes to extracting salt. Can we use regular salt and market it as sea salt? I can't find anything in the CFR regarding this. Does it need to be a certain grade??

Thanks!

The FDA says that mandatory label requirements for foods include "Information disclosing material facts about the food".

If it's not sea salt and you are saying it is, then you are not in compliance with label requirements.

Besides, it's just dishonest.

Marshall

I don't know what the FDA's view on this would be, but here in Europe declaring table salt as sea salt would be considered a form of food fraud. See for example: https://www.foodmanu...onsumers-claims

In any case, Marshall is completely correct - you would knowingly be making a false statement about a product; it's simply a matter of basic honesty/ethics.

Thanks that how I viewed it as. Does the supplier need to call it sea salt? I guess what I am having a hard time with is that the salt we purchase is from the ocean but it is not called sea salt. 

I guess that brings up another question. It's my understanding that table salt is typically mined from underground salt deposits and is more heavily processed, where as "sea" salt is produced through evaporation of ocean water or water from saltwater lakes, usually with little processing.

I guess clarification from your supplier would be in order.

Marshall

I guess that brings up another question. It's my understanding that table salt is typically mined from underground salt deposits and is more heavily processed, where as "sea" salt is produced through evaporation of ocean water or water from saltwater lakes, usually with little processing.

 

I guess clarification from your supplier would be in order.

 

Marshall

I did get in contact with the supplier to ask them. I just wanted to know what was the difference. I recently found out there are different process to extract salt. 

Tell marketing it's not cool to mess around with food fraud.

Panama where I used to live has these vast pools of water right next to the ocean - but they can not call it sea salt. Much like in the California desert there are pools for evaporating down to salt, Then there is Himalayan Salt.

Now, frankly water covered the earth, thus the ark, so technically all salt is sea salt --- but only technically.

Tell your marketing department that if it ain't sea salt they will be in for a world of hurt by comitting food fraud.

You should be able to find genuine sea salt at a reasonable enough price.

Thank you for everyone's input. We have decided to look for a supplier who can supply us with sea salt. Marketing really wants sea salt on the new product. The salt we are buying is from the ocean but goes through a different process which does not allow for it to be called sea salt. I learned something new which is great! 

Try Saltworks.

Marshall

Try Saltworks.

 

Marshall

 Thank you I will let our procurement know! 

Saltworks is pricy.

We go through tons and tons of the stuff, so it's all relative. 

But since marketing really thinks "sea salt" is the way to go, maybe they want the good stuff LOL.  :shades: 
Just a suggestion.

Marshall