The main difference between curing salt and regular salt is that regular salt is almost pure sodium chloride while curing salt is a mixture of sodium chloride and sodium nitrite.

There are different types of salt – sea salt, table salt, curing salt, kosher salt, etc. In this article, we will look at the difference between curing salt and regular salt. Regular salt or table salt is the salt we sprinkle on food at meals. Curing salt is a special type of salt we use to cure and preserve meat.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Curing Salt 
     – Definition, Features 
2. What is Regular Salt
     – Definition, Features
3. What is the Difference Between Curing Salt and Regular Salt
    – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Curing Salt, Regular Salt, Table Salt, Salt

What is Curing Salt

Curing salt is a type of salt used to cure and preserve food. It consists of a mixture of table salt (sodium chloride) and sodium nitrite, around 94 % salt and 6 % sodium nitrite. Many curing salts contain a red dye, giving the salt a pinkish shade. This prevents people from confusing curing salt with table salt. Moreover, curing salt helps to preserve meat as it prevents or slows spoilage by bacteria or fungus, especially Clostridium botulinum in an attempt to prevent botulism. These salts are generally used in making sausages and curing bacon, ham, corned beef, pastrami, etc.

Pink salt, Prague powder, and InstaCure are some other names for curing salt. It’s also important to note that pink salt or curing salt is not the same as Himalayan pink salt, which is a halite with trace elements that give it a pink shade.

In raw form, pink salt is toxic to humans, so you cannot use it like regular salt. However, the curing salt in cured meats is not toxic or harmful. During the curing process, the nitrites in curing salt are transformed into nitric oxide process, a compound that is not harmful.

What is Regular Salt

Regular salt or table salt is the salt we sprinkle on food at meals. In fact, salt is one of the most important ingredients used in cooking. It is a crystalline mineral made of the two elements, sodium and chlorine. Table salt is almost pure sodium chloride — 97% or higher — but in most countries, table salt also contains added iodine. Regular salt also contains anticaking agents like sodium aluminosilicate or magnesium carbonate to make the salt free-flowing.

Moreover, regular table salt is refined, meaning many of its trace elements and impurities are removed. Unlike curing salt, you can sprinkle regular salt on any food you want.

Difference Between Curing Salt and Regular Salt

Definition

Curing salt is a type of salt used to cure and preserve food while regular salt or table salt is the salt we sprinkle on food at meals.

Colour

Curing salt has a pink colour while regular salt is white in colour.

Ingredients

Regular salt is almost pure sodium chloride while curing salt is a mixture of table salt (sodium chloride) and sodium nitrite, around 94 % salt and 6 % sodium nitrite.

Use

Curing salt helps to preserve meat as it prevents or slows spoilage by bacteria or fungus while regular table salt is used in many cuisines around the world.

Toxicity

It’s important to note that curing salt is toxic, so you cannot use it like regular salt. Curing salt should only be used for curing meats.

Conclusion

Regular salt or table salt is the salt we sprinkle on food at meals while curing salt is a special type of salt we use to cure and preserve meat. The main difference between curing salt and regular salt is that regular salt is almost pure sodium chloride while curing salt is a mixture of sodium chloride and sodium nitrite.

Reference:

1. McGavin, Jennifer. “What Is Pink Salt and How Is It Used to Cure Meat?” The Spruce Eats, Available here.
2. Gunnars, Kris. “Types of Salt: Himalayan vs Kosher vs Regular vs Sea Salt.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 19 Oct. 2018, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Prague powder No 1” By thebittenword.com – (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “3285024” (CC0) via Pixabay

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