SASO 198

EDIBLE SALT
(SODIUM CHLORIDE)

EDIBLE SALT
(SODIUM CHLORIDE)

ICS: 664.41

Date of SASO Board of Directors Approval

Date of Publication in the Official Gazette
Date of Enforcement of this Standard

:
:
:

1401(H)-02-09 (1980-12-16)
1401(H)-04-16 (1981-02-20)
1401(H)-10-16 (1981-08-16)

SAUDI ARABIAN STANDARD

SASO 198/1980

EDIBLE SALT
(SODIUM CHLORIDE)

1-

SCOPE
This standard is concerned with the following types of edible salt (sodium
chloride:

2-

Pure table salt

Normal salt

Salt for food industries

DEFINITIONS

2.1

Pure table salt: A salt whose crystals are white, odourless, free from
bitterness, dry, of salty taste and free from any abnormal and harmful matters.
Its brine solution (10% by weight) is colourless and neutral with litmus. The
diameter of its particles is not less than 0.2 mm and not more than 1 mm.

2.2

Normal salt: A salt whose crystals are clean, nearly white, odourless, dry, free
from bitterness, of salty taste and free from any abnormal and harmful
matters. Its brine solution (10% by weight) is colourless and neutral with
litmus. The diameter of its particles is not more than 1.4 mm.

2.3

Salt for food industries: A salt whose crystals are nearly white, odourless, of
salty taste, and free from bitterness and abnormal and harmful matters. Its
brine solution (10% by weight) is colourless and neutral with litmus. This salt
is basically used in dairy, meat and fish industries and also in canning
industry.

3-

REQUIREMENTS
Edible salt shall meet the following requirements:

3.1

Pure table salt

3.1.1

It shall be crystallized and the maximum crystalline diameter is 1 mm.

3.1.2

It shall be white, of salty taste, odourless and free from bitterness.

3.1.3

It shall be free from abnormal and harmful matters.

3.1.4

Its brine solution (10% by weight) shall be neutral with litmus.

3.1.5

One of the following anti-caking agents may be added:

-

Potassium ferrocyanide

15 mg/kg

Sodium ferrocyanide

15 mg/kg

Ammonium ferric citrate

15 mg/kg

SAUDI ARABIAN STANDARD

3.1.6

SASO 198/1980

One of the following fluid substances may be added:

-

Magnesium carbonate not more than 1% by weight.

Calcium silicate not more than 2% by weight.

Calcium aluminum silicate not more than 2% by weight.

Tri or di-calcium phosphate not more than 1% by weight.

3.1.7

Iodine shall be added as potassium iodate to all kinds of edible salt in

proportions not less than 70 mg iodine / kg salt and not more than 100 mg
iodine / kg salt with the addition of stabilizing material*.

3.1.8

All the added substances mentioned in 3.1.5 and 3.1.6 shall be in accordance
with Codex Alimentarius regulations.

3.2

Normal salt

3.2.1

It shall be crystallized and the maximum crystalline diameters is 1.4 mm.

3.2.2

It shall be white, of salty taste, odourless and free from bitterness.

3.2.3

It shall be free from abnormal and harmful matters.

3.2.4

Its brine solution (10% by weight) shall be transparent, free from extraneous
substances and neutral with litmus.

3.2.5

One of the following anti-caking agents may be added:

-

Potassium ferrocyanide

15 mg/kg

Sodium ferrocyanide

15 mg/kg

Ammonium ferric citrate

15 mg/kg

3.3

Salt for food industries

3.3.1

It shall be white, of salty taste, odourless and free from bitterness.

3.3.2

It shall be free from abnormal and harmful matters.

3.3.3

Its brine solution (10% by weight) shall be neutral with litmus.

3.4

Toxic elements in various types of edible salt mentioned in this standard shall
not exceed the following limits:
-

Arsenic

1 mg/kg

Lead

2 mg/kg

Copper

2 mg/kg

Mercury

0.2 mg/kg

Proportion of total heavy elements shall not exceed 10 mg/kg.

3.5

The following chemical properties of edible salt as given in Table 1 shall be

met:

_______________________
*

This item was modified in the 95th Board of Directors meeting held on 1416(H)-08-04.

SAUDI ARABIAN STANDARD

SASO 198/1980

Table 1
Chemical Properties of Different Types of Salt
Factor

Pure
table salt
%

Normal
salt
%

Salt for food

industry
%

0.2

0.5

0.2

98

97

99

0.1

0.2

0.03

Moisture not more than:

Sodium chloride

(Minimum)

Water-insoluble matters
(Maximum)
Iron

(Maximum)

0.001

Calcium

(Maximum)

0.3

0.5

0.01

Magnesium

(Maximum)

0.1

0.3

0.01

Sulphate

(Maximum)

0.8

0.2

Carbonate

(Maximum)

0.05

1.05

0.02

4-

PACKAGING
Containers of edible salt shall meet the following:

4.1

They shall be clean, dry and tight.

4.2

They shall be made of materials impervious to moisture, such as polyethylene

or paraffin treated recipients.

4.3

They shall be made of a material that does not affect the salt properties or
react with it.

4.4

In case of table salt, the containers capacity shall not exceed one kilogram.

5-

LABELLING
Without violation to the requirements mentioned in Saudi Standard No. 1
Labelling of Prepackaged Foods, the following information shall be
indicated on salt containers:

5.1

The Arabic name of the product, and its trade mark and the name of
manufacturing factory.

5.2

Net weight of the contents.

5.3

Percent of substances added to salt.

5.4

The type (or variety) of salt packaged and its source of extraction.

SAUDI ARABIAN STANDARD

66.1

SASO 198/1980

TESTING
Sampling
Samples shall be taken according to Saudi Standard No. 3 Wheat Flour.

6.2

Methods of test
Tests shall be carried out according to methods mentioned in Saudi Standard
No. 197 Methods of Test for Edible Salt.

6.3

Tests
Tests shall be carried out on the representative sample taken according to 6.1
to determine its compliance with all items of this standard.