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fermenting Can I use Sea Salt for fermenting?

total noobsauce

total noobsauce

Hi,
Confused here. Just got some salt and have some questions.
 
First, details:
Ingredients: Sea Salt (nothing else listed)
Color: White (no specks of assorted colors)
"Does not supply iodide"
"Atlantic Sea Salt, Traditionally Hand Harvestd - Unrefined, No Additives, No Preservatives, No Heating"
 
 
1) Can I use this above salt (I assume so but have other questions)?
 
2) Is iodine (not iodide) ok to have in pickleing salt? I know iodide isn't ok, what about iodine?
 
3) Some sea salts at the store (not this one) varied in color and had a long list of minerals.
I think one had a list including iodine, and then magnesium, and about 5-10 others.
Are the ones with the long list of minerals ok to use?
 
Thanks!
 
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Thanks for the replies.
Less sea salt needed by weight is noted.
How much less I have no idea so will go by the 4% by weight rule and see what happens.
 
Still confused about:
-Iodine vs iodide in terms of inhibiting bacterial growth during fermentation
-Impact of sea salt that is white (without minerals listed, just 'sea salt') vs sea salt that has a list of many minerals (5-10?) including iodine, not iodide.
 
Anyone?
 
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Seems like wether iodide or iodine is written on the label, it's basically the same thing in the context of fermenting.
 
"An iodide ion is the ion I−.[2] Compounds with iodine in formal oxidation state −1 are called iodides....In everyday life, iodide is most commonly encountered as a component of iodized salt, which many governments mandate. Worldwide, iodine deficiency affects two billion people and is the leading preventable cause of intellectual disability.[3]"
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodide
(Iodine in an elemental form is toxic to humans - two iodide ions bonded together)
 
The question still stands, how much is too much?
The sea salt I saw with iodide in it had 0.002% I believe.
Is this bad for fermenting? Not sure yet, aside from anecdotal posts here (which are definitly appreciated of course).
 
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total noobsauce said:
Seems like wether iodide or iodine is written on the label, it's basically the same thing in the context of fermenting.
 
"An iodide ion is the ion I−.[2] Compounds with iodine in formal oxidation state −1 are called iodides....In everyday life, iodide is most commonly encountered as a component of iodized salt, which many governments mandate. Worldwide, iodine deficiency affects two billion people and is the leading preventable cause of intellectual disability.[3]"
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodide
(Iodine in an elemental form is toxic to humans - two iodide ions bonded together)
 
The question still stands, how much is too much?
The sea salt I saw with iodide in it had 0.002% I believe.
Is this bad for fermenting? Not sure yet, aside from anecdotal posts here (which are definitly appreciated of course).
Click to expand...
Wow my friend your over thinking this just use non iodide salt pure or pickling salt that's what I use as far as amount depends on amount of mash and weather you use a starter! :)
I use a starter but SmokenFire goes the straight ferment route! I use less salt due to using a starter smoke uses around 40 grams for a mash weighing around 900/1000 grams of mash I believe.
I use a Probiotic caps so I only use around 30 grams for 1200/1400 grams of mash! :)
Hope this helps!! :)
 
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I guess the answer is basically what your taste preferences are. I've used regular table salt and I've used pure sea salt in the same recipe. The one with table salt got really cloudy and after a 30 day ferment had a strange but not off-putting flavor. I was not impressed with my sauce with that batch.
Using sea salt, my mash was clean looking and tasting, and the resulting sauce was at least good enough to share (I'm still learning myself).
 
To paraphrase George Carlin: "The regular stuff is just shit but the really good stuff gives you some really good shit" :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
 
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Thanks. Yeah, I know it's a little nit picky, but can't help but wonder. 
I'd guess the added minerals of sea salt would help more than anything, but was concerned about that .002% iodide/iodine
 
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It looks like many of these recipes use 2% to 2.3% salt, even when no sea salt or added initial cultures are called for.
This seems a lot lower than the 4-6% called for in other recipes.
 
For my first hot sauce ferment I'm looking to use this one:
 
 
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/48709-newest-ferment-easy-and-fun/#entry1028964
1 pound red ripe jalas or fresnos or hungarian finger hots (Total Noob Sauce will be using 7pod brain strain/moruga/trinidad scorpion)
8 ounces habaneros
1 pound carrots
1 pound onions
6 ounces of garlic cloves
______________________
Total (assuming 1oz = 28.3g) is ~1755g
 
 
The recipe calls for 40g salt, so that'd be 2.28% salt by weight.
(No added culture is called for in this recipe, and sea salt isn't, which is why I'm asking for clarification before starting!)
 
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The biggest thing with salt is you need to watch out for those salts that have anti caking ingredients added. Commonly:
 
● Sodium aluminosilicate - a man-made product
● Sodium ferrocyanide
● Potassium ferrocyanide
● Calcium carbonate
● Magnesium carbonate
● Calcium silicate
● Silicon dioxide - the principle constituent of sandstone
● Hydrophobic silica
● Calcium phosphate/tri-calcium phosphate - bone ash
 
These things will affect your mash, mostly in the color of your finished product.  Pickling salt is the only one I can guarantee won't have any of these and is all I use in my ferments. Check the ingredients closely.
 
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