Iodine-free Sea Salt

Iodine-free sea salt is a natural salt produced through the evaporation of seawater. Unlike iodized table salt, it does not have iodine added to it. Its composition includes sodium chloride along with trace minerals naturally present in the ocean.

Manufacturers add iodine-free sea salt primarily as a seasoning and flavor enhancer in a wide range of packaged foods. It is also used as a preservative to extend shelf life and in baking for texture and flavor development, appearing in products like bread mixes, frozen doughs, and pizza mixes.

Sea salt, which is primarily sodium chloride, is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA. The FDA Daily Value for sodium is 2,300 mg per day, and high sodium intake is associated with increased blood pressure in some individuals. Iodine-free sea salt does not provide dietary iodine, an essential nutrient for thyroid function, which is typically added to common table salt to prevent deficiency. JECFA has evaluated sodium chloride and set an acceptable daily intake (ADI) 'not specified', meaning that, based on available data, the total daily intake of the substance arising from its use at the levels necessary to achieve the desired effect and from its acceptable background in food does not represent a hazard to health.