Sea salt
Many chefs swear by the taste and it should be healthy too. We are talking about sea salt. You always read "pure nature", healthy and natural etc.
Fleur de sel (as a particularly noble variant) is considered by many consumers to be particularly valuable and tasty. It is produced as a very thin layer of salt on the surface of the water and is usually skimmed off by hand with a wooden scoop
But in reality it's different.
We all know that the oceans are polluted by plastic waste. But how bad it is, at least they know.
Source: https://www.engadget.com/de/2017/11/21/gutenacht-video-mullinsel-expedition-in-der-karibik/
A really big problem is the so-called microplastic. Plastic particles that were rubbed on stones and by the sea movement so small that they are barely recognizable.
Source: https://www1.wdr.de/wissen/natur/mikroplastik_hochwasser_100.html
Obviously, there is a lot of microplastics in Fleur de Sel. In a random sample, Markt (German Documentary show)and the Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) had examined five of the most popular Fleur de Sel varieties in the laboratory for residues of plastics.
For comparison, conventional sea salt was analyzed by Aldi, Edeka, Aquasale and Alnatura (Favourit German Grocerys).
All samples had plastic residues. In the Fleur de Sel, the content of microplastic was highest. In one product, the pieces of plastic were even visible to the naked eye.
The types of plastic were polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). This is typical packaging waste. The classic sea salt in the sample contained significantly fewer microplastics than the more expensive Fleur de Sel.
Plastic content in salt (in micrograms per kilogram)
| Product | Plastic parts |
|---|---|
| Aquasale Fleur de Sel | 1796 |
| Fleur de Sel de Camargue | 582 |
| Fleur de Sel de Guérande | 469 |
| Fleur de Ibiza | 424 |
| Fleur de Sel Rewe fine world | 138 |
| Aldi Lemar Sea Salt | 59 |
| Aquasale sea salt | 47.7 |
| Edeka Good & Cheap Sea Salt | 37.5 |
| Alnatura Sea Salt | 14 |
Source: Markt NDR broadcast from 16.01.2018
How dangerous is microplastics for your health?
A lot of plastic contains estrogen-like ingredients that can negatively affect hormone balance.
In addition, several ingredients in the plastic when consumed are carcinogenic. In addition, the microplastic can bind other toxins from insecticides, dyes, and organic chlorine compounds. These toxins can accumulate in the body.
The manufacturers point to the low dosage of salt and see no need for action.
There are currently no limits for plastic particles in food.
But for me, every extra value is too high.
So I only use rock salt (without iodine or fluoride additives (maybe even more))
Here is the video from the NDR in German
The garbage island in the Caribbean: https://www.facebook.com/ZDFterraX/videos/10155173425232931/
Source Cover photo: https://pixabay.com/de/natur-lebensmittel-salz-meersalz-3305860/
Thanks to 