Have you ever wondered where the salt on your table comes from? In China, the salt industry is a significant sector, dominated by a few key players. Let’s take a look at the top salt factories in China, exploring their history, production methods, and what sets them apart.

Action on salt China

Product Details: Action on Salt China (ASC) is a comprehensive and sustainable salt reduction program initiated in 2017. It aims to develop, implement, and evaluate a tailored salt reduction strategy for China. The program involves partnerships with Queen Mary University of London, the George Institute for Global Health China, and various Chinese health authorities, healthcare organizations, NGOs, the media, education departments, and the food industry. The goal is to achieve a 15% reduction in salt intake by 2021 and a 30% reduction by 2025, focusing on home cooking, restaurant meals, and pre-packaged foods. The program is funded by the UK National Institute

for Health Research (NIHR) using Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding.

Pros:
– Reduces salt intake, which can lower blood pressure and prevent cardiovascular d…
– Cost-effective health strategy to lower population blood pressure and prevent hy…
– Involves a multi-faceted approach including health education, processed food int…
– Potential to prevent millions of cardiovascular deaths and result in significant…

Cons:
– Implementation challenges, including changing traditional cooking and dining hab…
– Requires significant coordination and support from various stakeholders, includi…

Archaeological and chemical evidence for early salt …

Product Details: Sodium chloride, commonly known as table salt, is a crystalline mineral composed of sodium and chlorine ions. It is widely used as a food preservative and seasoning to enhance flavor. Additionally, it is utilized in various manufacturing processes, including the production of plastics and other industrial products.

Pros:
– Effective food preservative
– Enhances flavor in food
– Versatile use in manufacturing

Cons:
– Excessive consumption can lead to health issues such as hypertension
– Can be corrosive in certain industrial applications

Salt in China | The Observatory of Economic …

Action on Salt China (ASC)

Product Details: The Action on Salt China (ASC) project is a global health research unit focused on reducing salt intake in China. It was established with a £6.6 million grant from the UK’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and is a collaboration between Queen Mary University of London, The George Institute China, and several Chinese health authorities. The project aims to address the high salt intake in China, which averages 12-14g per person per day, more than double the World Health Organisation’s recommended daily intake of 5g. ASC has developed a strategic plan with four key approaches: health education, community and

school-based education programs, salt reduction in restaurant meals, and setting salt targets for processed foods.

Pros:
– Population-level salt reduction is one of the most cost-effective interventions…
– The project aims to achieve a 15% reduction in salt intake by 2021 and contribut…
– ASC includes comprehensive intervention strategies such as educational campaigns…
– The project has established a scale-up platform to facilitate routine public hea…

Cons:
– The high salt intake in China poses significant health challenges, including hig…
– Despite the project’s efforts, its current impact remains constrained to selecte…
– The project faces limitations in scaling up its interventions to cover the entir…

A brief history of Chinese salt, the world’s oldest monopoly

Knowledge and practices related to salt consumption in …

Product Details: Nature prescriptions involve referrals or organized programs by health or social professionals to encourage spending time in nature. These programs can be implemented through various natural settings and activities, and can be facilitated via social, community, and health channels.

Pros:
– Greater reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure
– Moderate to large effect on reducing depression and anxiety scores
– Increase in daily step counts
– Improvements in mental health and physical activity
– Benefits in cognitive function, brain activity, and immune function

Cons:
– Most studies have a moderate to high risk of bias
– No significant improvement in weekly time of moderate physical activity
– Variable effectiveness depending on the type of professional involvement (health…

Action on Salt China: Obstacles Encountered & Opportunities

China urges shoppers not to hoard salt after Fukushima …

Product Details: The article discusses the panic-buying of table salt in China following Japan’s release of treated radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Nearly all salt sold in China is not sourced from the ocean, but from local rock and lake salt. Despite this, there was widespread hoarding of salt due to misconceptions about its ability to protect against radiation.

Pros:
– No scientific evidence supports the use of iodized salt as protection against ra…
– Chinese authorities and health organizations have clarified that domestic salt s…

Cons:
– Excessive consumption of iodized salt poses significant health hazards, particul…
– The misinformation led to unnecessary panic-buying, causing temporary shortages…

China Salt Substitute and Stroke Study (SSaSS)

Product Details: The China Salt Substitute and Stroke Study (SSaSS) involved a salt substitute with 75% sodium chloride and 25% potassium chloride. The study was conducted in 600 rural villages in China, enrolling 20,995 participants who had a history of stroke or were 60 years or older with high blood pressure. Participants in the intervention group used the salt substitute for all cooking, seasoning, and food preservation, while the control group continued using regular salt. The study lasted for approximately five years, with a mean follow-up of 4.74 years.

Pros:
– Significantly lowers the risk of stroke by 14%.
– Reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events by 13%.
– Lowers the risk of death from any cause by 12%.
– No increased risk of serious adverse events, including hyperkalemia.
– Relatively cheap and cost-effective, costing about US$1.62 per kilo versus US$1….
– Highly feasible and low-cost opportunity for global health benefit.

Cons:
– Patients with serious kidney disease should avoid using salt substitutes due to…

U.S. Officials Race to Understand Severity of China’s Salt …

Product Details: The Salt Typhoon cyberattack is attributed to a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group that targeted major U.S. broadband providers, including AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen Technologies. The attackers exploited systems used for lawful wiretapping and other law enforcement activities, potentially accessing sensitive information such as call logs, unencrypted text messages, and audio recordings of high-profile individuals. The breach has significant national security implications and highlights the vulnerability of intentional backdoors in ISP systems.

Cons:
– The attack compromised systems used by federal agencies for court-authorized net…
– The breach accessed sensitive information, including call logs, unencrypted text…
– The hackers may have had access to U.S. broadband networks for months before bei…
– The attack exploited intentional backdoors in ISP systems, highlighting the risk…
– The breach targeted multiple U.S. government employees and could have implicatio…

Comparison Table

Company	Product Details	Pros	Cons	Website
Action on salt China	Action on Salt China (ASC) is a comprehensive and sustainable salt reduction program initiated in 2017. It aims to develop, implement, and evaluate a…	– Reduces salt intake, which can lower blood pressure and prevent cardiovascular d… – Cost-effective health strategy to lower population blood press…	– Implementation challenges, including changing traditional cooking and dining hab… – Requires significant coordination and support from various sta…	www.georgeinstitute.org
Archaeological and chemical evidence for early salt …	Sodium chloride, commonly known as table salt, is a crystalline mineral composed of sodium and chlorine ions. It is widely used as a food preservative…	– Effective food preservative – Enhances flavor in food – Versatile use in manufacturing	– Excessive consumption can lead to health issues such as hypertension – Can be corrosive in certain industrial applications	pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Salt in China	The Observatory of Economic …
Action on Salt China (ASC)	The Action on Salt China (ASC) project is a global health research unit focused on reducing salt intake in China. It was established with a £6.6 milli…	– Population-level salt reduction is one of the most cost-effective interventions… – The project aims to achieve a 15% reduction in salt intake by 2…	– The high salt intake in China poses significant health challenges, including hig… – Despite the project’s efforts, its current impact remains cons…	www.worldactiononsalt.com
A brief history of Chinese salt, the world’s oldest monopoly				asiatimes.com
Knowledge and practices related to salt consumption in …	Nature prescriptions involve referrals or organized programs by health or social professionals to encourage spending time in nature. These programs ca…	– Greater reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure – Moderate to large effect on reducing depression and anxiety scores – Increase in daily…	– Most studies have a moderate to high risk of bias – No significant improvement in weekly time of moderate physical activity – Variable effectiveness…	www.nature.com
Action on Salt China: Obstacles Encountered & Opportunities				en.chinacdc.cn
China urges shoppers not to hoard salt after Fukushima …	The article discusses the panic-buying of table salt in China following Japan’s release of treated radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear p…	– No scientific evidence supports the use of iodized salt as protection against ra… – Chinese authorities and health organizations have clarified th…	– Excessive consumption of iodized salt poses significant health hazards, particul… – The misinformation led to unnecessary panic-buying, causing te…	www.reuters.com
China Salt Substitute and Stroke Study (SSaSS)	The China Salt Substitute and Stroke Study (SSaSS) involved a salt substitute with 75% sodium chloride and 25% potassium chloride. The study was condu…	– Significantly lowers the risk of stroke by 14%. – Reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events by 13%. – Lowers the risk of death from any cause…	– Patients with serious kidney disease should avoid using salt substitutes due to…	www.georgeinstitute.org
U.S. Officials Race to Understand Severity of China’s Salt …	The Salt Typhoon cyberattack is attributed to a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group that targeted major U.S. broadband providers, including AT&T, Ve…		– The attack compromised systems used by federal agencies for court-authorized net… – The breach accessed sensitive information, including call logs…	www.wsj.com

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who controls the salt industry in China

In China, the salt industry is controlled by the China National Salt Industry Corporation (China Salt), a state-owned enterprise. This corporation has a monopoly over the management and production of edible salt, setting national prices and controlling distribution channels. China Salt decides production levels, prices, and issues permits to authorized companies, ensuring uniform pricing and production standards across the country[4].

How significant is the salt industry in China’s history

The salt industry has played a crucial role in China’s history, dating back to the 7th century BCE. Salt was a key commodity that helped build empires, fund significant projects like the Great Wall of China, and generate substantial state revenues. For centuries, salt was a highly controlled and taxed commodity, with its trade influencing economic development and state-society relations[3].

Where is most of China’s salt produced

Most of China’s salt is produced along the coast of the Bohai Gulf. Approximately 50% of the total Chinese salt production comes from this region, where salt is produced through solar evaporation in rectangular ponds. The area’s geological and climatic conditions, including seasonal storms, affect the production process, but techniques like rain protection foils have been developed to improve yields[5].

Can private companies produce and sell salt in China

Until recently, private companies were not allowed to produce or sell salt in China due to the state monopoly. However, since January 1, 2017, the market has been opened to private investors who can partner with existing salt companies. Despite this, China Salt still maintains significant control over the industry, and private sales across different regions are strictly regulated[3][4].

Why is salt expensive in China despite high production

Despite being the largest salt-producing country in the world, salt prices in China remain relatively high due to the state monopoly. China Salt sets uniform national prices, and the lack of market competition among salt producers contributes to higher costs. Additionally, the monopoly restricts private sales and enforces strict regulations, which can drive up prices for consumers[4].