Sodium chloride, also known as table salt, was once worth more than gold. This seems like a strange thing to hear in today’s world, where the population is told to “watch their salt intake” and to try “low sodium diets.” Processed products seem to scream from the shelves with their advertisements of new and improved low sodium formulas. A limited intake of sodium is recommended due to the correlation of high sodium diets and high blood pressure and hypertension. As a result, non-sodium salts such as potassium sorbate and calcium chloride are gaining popularity in food processing for flavouring and food preservation.

Soup has been a staple food throughout human history. As canning gained popularity in the early to mid-nineteenth century, canneries for various types of foods popped up around the world. It was not long until condensed soups and bouillon cubes made their appearance on store shelves. Condensed soup is made by making soup stock, boiling it down, and then combining it with spices, vegetable paste, fresh vegetables, and flour. The flour thickens the soup as it continues to boil and reduce down. The soup maintains the consistency of a sauce and is poured into cans and sealed. Throughout the process, salt can be added in several forms in order to preserve the soup, flavour the soup, and preserve the texture from factory to table.