When looking to purchase bulk salt for your business purposes, selecting the proper quality and grade is critical. Salt can play a vital role in a number of different industries – from restaurant owners to the manufacturing sector to agricultural purposes. The type of salt you choose can have a significant impact on your overall operations and the final product that gets created. By understanding the different types and grades of bulk salt, and how to appropriately apply them to your business, you’ll be able to make more informed decisions that help your business.
When searching for bulk salt distributors near me, there are a number of things to consider. There are many different types of grades, and all of them have distinct characteristics that make them suitable for a variety of different applications. From granulated table salt to rock salt and industrial salt, all of them contain unique properties. Texture, purity, and mineral content are a few of the major things to be concerned about, and what makes them different will be discussed below. No matter what applications you need bulk salt for, there is a grade of salt that will be able to fulfill your needs.
Granulated Table Salt
Table salt is the most common type of salt, as it’s found in nearly every home and all throughout the entire food industry. This granulated salt is highly refined and often contains additives to prevent issues with clumping. The main characteristics of this type of salt are its fine texture and uniform grain sizes. This is a staple in a lot of different areas within the food industry, as it’s versatile nature makes it appropriate for a number of applications.
This type of salt is ideal for preserving food products, and it’s also widely used as a food seasoning. It’s easy for restaurants to store and dispense to their customers, and you can typically find a salt shaker on virtually every table in a restaurant. Table salt is perfect for recipes and other food processing because its fine texture ensures even distribution. That uniform size also delivers consistency when baking, making it a popular choice in that industry, as well.
Kosher Salt
This type of salt has been named ‘kosher’ after its role in the Jewish practice of koshering meat. This is the process of preparing meat for consumption according to Jewish dietary law. It has a coarser grain than table salt, and typically does not contain any additives. The larger grains allow the salt to dissolve more slowly, which delivers a different flavor profile and feeling in the mouth.
There are a number of uses for kosher salt, particularly in the culinary industries. Chefs generally prefer using kosher salt because of its great seasoning ability. It’s also preferred because this kind of salt pulls out moisture and enhances flavor without dissolving too quickly like table salt. It’s also very common in brining and pickling, and professional chefs often prefer its texture. Because of its ability to pull out moisture, it also makes it a suitable choice for curing meats.
Sea Salt
This type of salt is harvested from evaporated seawater. Sea salt gets its unique flavor and texture from the trace mineral elements that remain after the evaporation process. There are a number of different areas this kind of salt is sourced from, and it can be processed in a number of different ways. Between the source of origin and these varying processing procedures, sea salt can vary widely in its color and the shape of its grains.
Sea salt has a very distinct flavor, and the additional mineral content make it very popular in the realm of gourmet food. It’s a staple with high-end culinary products like gourmet seasonings and other finishing salts. This salt is also typically used in hand-crafted, artisanal foods like chocolates or other baked goods because of how it enhances the flavor to add an air of luxury. The health and wellness space also uses sea salt in certain health products, thanks to its high mineral content.
Rock Salt
Rock salt is derived from mining underground salt deposits. Because it is less refined than other salts, it typically has a larger, more crystalline structure. There are some impurities in rock salt, which is why it’s most often used for non-food purposes. It’s commonly used in a wide variety of industrial processes. The most common of these practices are in the manufacturing of chemicals and for use in drilling for oil.
However, the most popular use of rock salt is likely for melting ice on roads. The chemical reaction between the rock salt and the ice helps people maintain safe streets, sidewalks, parking lots, and other areas where snow and ice can pile up. It’s a huge part of winter maintenance for business owners in colder climates, and for those that have to manage large properties during the winter months. Rock salt is also used in water softeners to remove minerals from hard water – making it a popular choice for laundromats, hotels, and even car washes.
Solar Salt
This type of salt is created by using the suns heat to evaporate large concentrations of seawater or brine in large pools. These ponds are usually interlocking, and the salt water is pulled into the ponds from a larger body of water. Once in the ponds, the seawater is evaporated thanks to the hard work of the sun, wind, and time. It’s commonly purer than rock salt, and has a different type of crystalline structure, giving it a different look.
Solar salt is highly effective for softening water and is commonly used in water treatment plants and other similar systems. Farmers use solar salt for animal feed and a number of other agricultural applications, thanks to the natural purity that comes from the process of creating solar salt. Another popular use of this kind of salt is in saltwater pool systems, as the solar salt helps maintain clean and balanced water.
Evaporated Salt
Very similar to solar salt in how it is created, evaporated salt is created by evaporating water from brine in a controlled environment. Because of the controlled nature of this process, it typically results in a highly pure salt. It’s also available in a number of different grain sizes – meaning it’s a viable option for those looking for both coarse and fine grains of salt. It’s essential in a vast array of industrial processes, as it’s used in the production of chemicals – like chlorine, for example.
The food manufacturing industry also likes evaporated salt because of its high purity and consistency. This makes it great for canned goods, manufacturing snacks, and with dairy products. The pharmaceutical industry relies on the high purity of this type of salt for another huge variety of applications. This is the preferred type of salt for making saline solutions, and it’s also used to create a number of medications.
Industrial Salt
Industrial salt encompasses the numerous salt grades that are used primarily outside of food purposes. This kind of salt is generally available in large quantities, and may be less refined than food-grade salts. Also called sodium chloride, industrial salt is typically non-edible thanks to its lower level of purity, and the lack of refining may make it toxic. It is purified or mixed with additives to meet the needs of specific industrial applications.
This kind of salt is used in a large number of manufacturing processes, including the production of glass, plastics, and textiles. Like rock salt, it can also be used for large-scale de-icing operations – like removing snow and ice from highways and/or airport runways. The oil and gas industry also uses industrial salt extensively, as it plays a major role in the drilling and extraction process on rigs.
How to Choose the Right Salt for Your Business
Selecting the right grade of salt that’s appropriate for your business depends on a number of factors. From your industry to specific needs and budget, make sure to take all of these considerations into effect before choosing a grade of salt for use in your business. The first thing you’ll have to do is identify what the primary use of the salt will be for your business operations. The types of salt for culinary purposes aren’t the same as those used for industrial applications or de-icing. This will be a great way to narrow down your options early.
It’s also important to consider the purity of the salt, and the presence of additives. Some salts (like sea salt) also contain trace minerals that can enhance the flavor or provide other health benefits. Bulk salt can also vary greatly in price based on where the grade of the salt and where its sourced from. Balancing your need for quality within your budget will make sure you get the right salt in the right quantities. Also, don’t be afraid to consult with bulk salt distributors in your area. They’re the experts and can help point you in the right direction for your specific needs and budget.