78 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, IQIO. 



SALT. 



The following table gives the results of the examination of 

 eight different brands of table salt purchased by the inspector 

 and one sample sent by a correspondent. 



Standard. — Table salt, dairy salt, is fine grained crystalline 

 salt containing on a water-free basis, not more than one and 

 four-tenths (1.4) percent, of calcium sulphate (CaSO^) nor 

 more than five-tenths (0.5) percent, of calcium and magnesium 

 chlorides (CaCla and MgCL), nor more than one-tenth (o.i) 

 percent, of matters insoluble in water. 



The determinations made were water, sulphuric acid, calcium, 

 magnesium, and matters insoluble in cold, distilled water. Tests 

 for starch and carbonates were made in all cases. Carbonates 

 were found only in the cases of the two compounds and starch 

 was not found at all. In the calculation of results the sulphuric 

 acid was assumed to be in combination with calcium as calcium 

 sulphate, and any excess of calcium was calculated to the chlo- 

 ride. Magnesium was assumed to be present as chloride. 

 In the cases of the compounds containing carbonates car- 

 bon dioxide was determined with Schlotter's apparatus and this 

 was calculated with either calcium or magnesium as either was 

 found to be present. 



Attention is called to some of the exaggerated statements 

 which appear in connection with some brands of salt. For 

 example : "Caution — Use one-third less of this salt than of 

 other kinds, because the perfect purity of this brand renders 

 it so much stronger" ; and "an ounce of this salt is 'saltier' than ' 

 an ounce of any other salt" ; and "this salt is the only table salt 

 free of dangerous impurities and adulterants." Such claims are 

 not borne out by facts, and the manufacturers and packers, not 

 only of salt but of all food products, should realize that the 

 public is fast coming to believe that such unreasonable, exagger- 

 ated claims as the above are likely to appear in connection with 

 the lowest grades of goods. 



The figures given in the table are the results as found. Cal- 

 culating these to the water-free basis makes no difference to the 

 second decimal place except for number 8808, where the per- 

 centage of matters insoluble in water is 1.06 per cent, calcium 

 sulphate 1.27 per cent, and magnesium carbonate i.oo per cent 

 on the water-free basis. 



