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Evaluation of Physical, Chemical, and Contaminant Profiles of Traditional Salt from East Nusa Tenggara
Summary
Researchers tested traditional sea salt from four villages in Indonesia and found that while it was free of detectable heavy metals (lead and cadmium) and microplastics, all samples had too much moisture and inconsistent iodine levels compared to national safety standards. This matters because iodine is essential for thyroid health, so uneven levels mean some households relying on this salt may not get consistent nutritional benefits — highlighting a need to improve small-scale salt production methods.
Abstract Traditional salt remains an essential source of sodium chloride for Indonesian households, especially in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) which relies on artisanal production systems from its coastal communities. The study provides a descriptive evaluation which examines the physical characteristics, chemical properties and contaminant content of traditional salt sourced from four selected sites: Kanatang, Watu Asa, West Wendewa and Ledeana. The assessment tested whether the samples met Indonesian National Standard (SNI 3556:2016) requirements which cover organoleptic properties and moisture content and NaCl concentration and three mineral components and contamination risk from Pb and Cd and microplastics. The West Wendewa and Ledeana salts showed better organoleptic quality results while the moisture content of all samples exceeded the maximum limit and the iodine content showed different levels of concentration. The analytical conditions implemented in this study failed to detect Pb and Cd and microplastics. The results demonstrate that artisanal salt characteristics differ among the selected locations. The study showed that traditional artisanal practices need further development because they currently fail to deliver dependable salt production in remote coastal areas.