# Salt in packaged food **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 20, 2014, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-in-packaged-food/681745 "2014-02-20T00:17:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-in-packaged-food/681745/1 "2014-02-20T00:17:22Z")
Is the salt used in canned, frozen, and otherwise packaged food generally iodized or not iodized? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a label specify iodized so I guess not? ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-in-packaged-food/681745/2 "2014-02-20T00:50:01Z")
Generally, no. > [@](#): > > Salt used in processed foods is not iodized. Given that people are cooking less at home and buying either restaurant or processed foods, iodine intakes in the U.S. have declined from about 250 μg/day to 157 micrograms/day. Public health authorities recommend 150 μg or more and the need is particularly acute for expectant mothers. Daily Iodine intakes of 1,000 – 1,100 μg are safe for adults and children over 4 years of age. [Source](http://www.saltinstitute.org/news-articles/iodized-salt/) ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-in-packaged-food/681745/3 "2014-02-20T01:03:17Z")
A very interesting article. Thank you. If iodized salt is the same price as non-iodized, I wonder why it isn’t used in packaged food. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-in-packaged-food/681745/4 "2014-02-20T02:31:15Z")
In the volume a cannery uses salt, iodized may not be the same price as plain. Also, iodized salt can discolor certain canned foods. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-in-packaged-food/681745/5 "2014-02-20T04:03:21Z")
Salt is by far one of the cheapest ingredients in food processing. (Did you know that Cargill alone makes more than 50 varieties of food salt?) Iodized salt is not used in cooked or baked goods because it can add a bitter flavor when heated. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-in-packaged-food/681745/6 "2014-02-20T21:22:39Z")
As an addition to this question (which I’ve wondered myself, since I’ve started trying to have a low sodium diet), is there a recommendation for people to take iodine supplements when they reduce the sodium in their diets? ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-in-packaged-food/681745/7 "2014-02-20T22:07:17Z")
Not according to [this](http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/reducing-salt-intake-wont-make-you-iodine-deficient) article. It is from 2011 though.