news.today
Hello · Register today | LoginHello · My Account[—] [33]
Business

Observer investigation finds German rock salt in Maldon Salt production

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 15 Nov, 13:31 · Archive

An Observer investigation has found that Maldon Salt uses imported German rock salt in its production process despite marketing its product as one hundred per cent sea salt flakes.

An Observer investigation has revealed that Maldon Salt uses imported German rock salt mined by K+S in its Essex production process, despite marketing its product as 'one hundred per cent sea salt flakes'. The newspaper observed lorries delivering large bags of German salt to the company's Longwick Farm site on the Blackwater Estuary in October, with four lorries unloading around 12 tonnes each over two days. The Observer estimated that around 50 tonnes of rock salt could be delivered to the plant each week.

Maldon Salt uses the rock salt as part of a traditional production technique known as 'salt-on-salt', where it filters and enriches water taken from the Blackwater Estuary. The resulting brine is then heated and the distinctive pyramid-shaped salt crystals are harvested. The company has produced these flakes for more than 140 years and is endorsed by leading chefs including Jamie Oliver and Delia Smith.

Maldon Salt says its description of the product as sea salt is accurate and that its production methods comply with food and labelling regulations, with consumers not being misled. The company argues that rock salt should be considered ancient sea salt because it originates from prehistoric seas. Following the Observer's investigation, Maldon Salt updated its website to include an explanation of the production process.

Observer investigation finds German rock salt in Maldon Salt production
Image: Colchester Gazette

Comments (0)

How it is being reported

In this story: Maldon Salt · Observer · K+S · Maldon · Essex · Germany · Blackwater Estuary

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log