Alberger process

The Alberger process is a method of producing salt.

It involves mechanical evaporation and uses an open evaporating pan and steam energy. This results in a three-dimensional "cup-shaped" flake salt, which has low bulk density, high solubility and good adhesiveness. The extremely low bulk density makes the salt highly prized in the fast-food industry due to its lower sodium content and stronger flavor for a given volume.^{[1][upper-alpha 1]}

Cargill operates a plant in St. Clair, Michigan that is the only plant in the United States that makes such salt.

The method was patented by Charles L. Weil on June 8, 1915.^[3]

References

Notes

1. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, "it is a mixture of the grainer-type flake and the flake grown on seed crystals. About 3,000 pounds of steam are required to produce one ton of salt"^[2]

Citations

1. "Alberger® Brand Flake Salts: It's the Shape that Makes it Great". Cargill. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
2. Encyclopædia Britannica's entry for Alberger process
3. European Patent Office: US 1141999 . For original patent drawings and description of the process see: Original document. Retrieved 28 May 2011.