PH
Salt does more than make food taste salty. It can draw water out of ingredients through osmosis, alter protein structures, and influence the texture of foods during preparation.
This is why salting is important in processes ranging from vegetable preparation to cheese-making and meat preservation.
The amount and timing matter because too much salt can produce a completely different result. A small crystal can therefore have a surprisingly large effect on food chemistry.
© Institute of Food Technologists