The Alberger process is an industrial method of producing

salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...

from

rock salt Halite ( ), commonly known as rock salt, is a type of salt, the mineral (natural) form of sodium chloride ( Na Cl). Halite forms isometric crystals. The mineral is typically colorless or white, but may also be light blue, dark blue, purple, pi ...

Method

The Alberger process begins by heating brine under high pressure with a series of heaters. Impurities are removed using a tank filled with granite cubes called a graveler. When the pressure is released, salt crystals form in a steam-heated evaporation pan. This results in a three-dimensional pyramid-shaped flake salt, which has low

bulk density In materials science, bulk density, also called apparent density, is a material property defined as the mass of the many particles of the material divided by the bulk volume. Bulk volume is defined as the total volume the particles occupy, includ ...

, high solubility, and good adhesion. According to a scientific article from 1946, the process results in salt of high purity but "is the least economical method for the production of a given quantity of salt."

Production

Cargill Cargill, Incorporated is an American multinational food corporation based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, Minnetonka, Minnesota, and incorporated in Wilmington, Delaware. Founded in 1865 by William Wallace Cargill, it is the largest privately held c ...

operates a plant in St. Clair, Michigan that is the only place in the United States that manufactures such salt using the Alberger process. Diamond Crystal

Kosher Salt Kosher salt or kitchen salt (also called cooking salt, rock salt, kashering salt, or koshering salt) is coarse edible salt usually without common additives such as iodine, typically used in cooking and not at the table. It consists mainly of ...

is a brand of salt produced using the Alberger process. Because of its shape, density and flavor characteristics, it is often a preferred choice by

snack food A snack is a small portion of Human food, food generally Eating, eaten between meals. Snacks come in a variety of forms including Food packaging, packaged snack foods and other processed foods, as well as items made from fresh ingredients at ho ...

manufacturers.

History

The method was patented by Charles L. Weil on June 8, 1915.

European Patent Office The European Patent Office (EPO) is one of the two organs of the European Patent Organisation (EPOrg), the other being the Administrative Council. The EPO acts as executive body for the organisation

: . For original patent drawings and description of the process see
Original document
Retrieved 28 May 2011.

References

{{Salt topics Industrial processes Salt production