Lowdown on salt?

[XeniA]

Does anyone know why non-iodized salt is recommended for canning, and, thereafter, how crucial it is?

To the best of my knowledge, I can get no such thing: all our salts are iodized. Supposedly "naturally" iodized as they're from the sea???

Color Me Confused.

 

[ChefScotty]

Use Kosher salt. It's cheaper than canning salt and the likes and it adheres to food better than table salt. (You'd need to use 50% more Kosher if you use Mortons)

Iodine in the salt is actually added just to make thyroid glands happy, or to prevent rickets which isn't a big deal here but think India for example, where they have something along the lines of 200 million people with iodine deficiency so it's a mandated addition there if I remember rightly.

Anyway, depending on what you are doing it can prevent bacterial fermentation, say for something like pickles or cabbage, so iodine is bad.

Hope that's helpful.

 

[Robo410]

Iodine in salt gives it a metalic taste which canning will magnify...becoming unpleasant. In most parts of America we get sufficient Iodine in processed foods and most table salt. For cooking and canning purposes, use pure salt...canning salt or koshering salt.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Does anyone know why non-iodized salt is recommended for canning, and, thereafter, how crucial it is?

"Canning and Pickling Salt" is pure sodium chloride with no additives.

Additives like Iodine and anti-clumping agents added to table salt will affect the flavor, color, texture and clarity (of the liquid) of things - especially pickled products. Sea Salt contains lots of minerals (in a greater percentage) that can cause the same problems as Iodized table salt.

You can sometimes substitute Kosher salt - but you need to read the label and make sure the kind you buy doesn't have any additives. For example - Morton Kosher salt contains anti-clumping agents (like table salt) but Diamond brand doesn't. I don't know what brands you have available in Greece so I can't help you there - but, with the quantity of olives produced in Greece I'm sure there must be a source.

If you are going to use something other than canning/pickling salt you will need to make adjustments to the amounts called for in the recipe - depending on the type, and brand, of salt you are using.