Is it an IQ tax to sell "Internet celebrity salt" that contains special minerals, etc.?

　　With special minerals as the "selling point", the price is dozens or even hundreds of times that of ordinary table salt

　　On the "net celebrity salt" sold by Ke, is it an "IQ tax" or is it really miraculous?

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　　In recent days, various "net red" imported salts full of exotic flavors have become very popular on e-commerce platforms.

Although the price is dozens or even hundreds of times that of ordinary table salt, there are still many consumers who are flocking to it.

In this regard, some people in the industry pointed out that the majority of consumers should establish a correct consumption concept, prudently view Internet celebrity products such as "Internet celebrity salt" under the "gorgeous coat", and do not easily pay the "IQ tax".

　　A 200-gram bottle of Himalayan pure natural rock salt is priced at 58 yuan, a 454-gram bottle of French gray salt is priced at 108 yuan, and a 113-gram bottle of American Hawaiian black salt is priced at 148 yuan... The price is about 50 times that of ordinary table salt. .

The most famous French salt flower, the online price is between 0.5 yuan and 1.5 yuan per gram, which is 70 times to 200 times that of ordinary salt.

　　Recently, a reporter from "Workers Daily" found that imported salt from various "net celebrities" full of exotic flavors is very popular on e-commerce platforms.

These "net celebrity salts" all use "natural", "specific origin" and "contains special minerals" as "selling points", claiming that they can supplement calcium and zinc and "more balanced nutrition".

　　Are these "net celebrity salts" really miraculous, or are they charging consumers an "IQ tax"?

The reporter conducted an investigative interview.

　　Cut the ball when it comes to marketing

　　"These gorgeous 'net red salt' sprinkled on food are pleasing to the eye," Ji Feng, a fashionable person from Chongqing, told reporters.

　　Industry insiders pointed out that from a market point of view, "net celebrity salt" is like drinking water. As long as the label is clear and clear, there is no false propaganda or inducing or misleading consumers, and it does not endanger food safety, it should be allowed to exist. It is up to consumers to choose according to their own economic situation or preferences.

　　"Compared with pursuing the novel 'net celebrity salt', we should learn to read the nutrition labels of food, pay attention to reducing sodium intake, and pursue a healthier lifestyle." said Li Wenjian, a researcher with a doctorate in nutrition at the Chongqing Sports Bureau. Some "net celebrity salts" play a marginal role in marketing.

　　The reporter found that many merchants will use labels such as "natural organic certification" and "rich in minerals" when selling "net celebrity salt".

"Internet celebrity salt" has broken people's perception of salt. Most of them claim to be rich in trace elements and even regulate the body's acid-base balance.

　　Taking Himalayan rose salt as an example, merchants claim that the salt was formed 250 million years ago, is pure natural and pollution-free, and contains more than 98% sodium chloride, including iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, silicon, copper, etc. 80 A variety of minerals needed by the human body, it is a veritable king of salt.

"Even if these are true, many trace elements are not needed by the human body, and are not even beneficial to the human body." Li Wenjian said.

　　In addition to the tall rose salt, the reporter found in the interview that there is also Himalayan salt condiment. The price of a bottle is about 50 yuan. It is known as a new combination of flavors.

There are orange combinations, lemon combinations, etc., and some packaging bottles are equipped with adjustable grinders, with fine, medium and coarse particles.

　　"Eating salt and calcium" is not reliable

　　In addition, there are merchants who claim that Himalayan rose salt is more natural or purer than regular table salt.

In this regard, Li Qing, chief physician of Chongqing Daping Hospital, said that in fact, in the current food world, the word "natural" has little meaning.

　　It is understood that edible salt mainly includes sea salt, lake salt and mineral salt, which come from seawater, natural brine and underground salt deposits respectively.

All table salt is natural, not synthetic.

The main component of edible salt is sodium chloride. As long as the purity is up to standard, there is not much difference in the nutritional composition and value of salt from different origins.

　　In addition, industry insiders pointed out that the statement of "eating salt and calcium supplements" is even more contrary to science and contradicts itself.

In fact, eating more salt not only can not supplement calcium, but will lead to calcium loss.

Table salt contains sodium ions, and the metabolism of sodium and calcium in the human body is linked, and they are regulated by the same molecule.

When the sodium intake is too high, the body will work hard to excrete sodium, and at the same time, it will increase the excretion of calcium in the urine.

Therefore, "eating salt and calcium supplementation" is unreliable, and it is easy to mislead consumers.

　　Li Qing believes that the trace elements in salt can be ignored (except for the added fortifier), after all, the daily intake of salt is too low.

According to the "Standards for the Use of Food Nutrition Fortifiers", the addition of nutritional fortifiers other than iodine to table salt is not allowed.

As for minerals such as calcium and iron, it is not reliable to consume salt by eating them.

Salt is just a condiment, not a health care product. You don't need to pay too much attention to the ingredients. Just looking at the sodium and iodine in the "Nutrition Facts Table" is enough.

　　In fact, the Chongqing Consumer Council recently conducted a comparative test on 8 brands and a total of 27 sets of edible salt samples circulating in the market in Chongqing. The comparison test mainly focused on the physical and chemical indicators, hygienic indicators, nutritional fortifiers and main component content of the salt samples. 20 indicators were tested.

The test results showed that zinc was not detected in 27 samples, selenium was detected in 4 samples, iron was detected in 18 samples, magnesium was detected in 23 samples, and calcium was detected in 22 samples.

Although micro-mineral elements such as selenium, iron, magnesium and calcium are very beneficial to the human body, from the test results, no matter the grade and price of salt, the content of trace mineral elements is very limited, so salt is used to supplement minerals. Elements have little effect.

　　Don't hand over the "IQ tax" lightly

　　"It is not necessary to deliberately choose micronutrient-fortified salt to supplement mineral elements, and consumers are advised not to believe in the propaganda slogans of the merchants." Relevant personnel of the Chongqing Consumer Council said that the test also found a food that was "selling dog meat with sheep's heads". A salt brand that claims to add iodized salt to seaweed, but actually adds potassium iodide and seaweed umami liquid, the brand has been interviewed and dealt with.

　　"'Internet celebrity salt' is just taking advantage of the curiosity of some consumers, early adopters and even superstitious belief in foreign products, and uses ambiguous, flashy and exaggerated advertisements to promote products, which should not be taken lightly." Chongqing Yuzhong District Market Supervision Bureau Level 4 Researcher Zhang Zairong said that on the one hand, the regulatory authorities and platforms should restrict and regulate the false propaganda of merchants in accordance with laws and regulations such as the Advertising Law, and strictly investigate and punish illegal marketing activities; on the other hand, consumers should also establish a correct consumption concept and be cautious For online celebrity products such as "net celebrity salt" under "gorgeous coats", don't pay the "IQ tax" easily.

　　Li Wenjian suggested that the regulatory authorities should not only strengthen supervision, strictly investigate illegal marketing, fraudulent induction and other illegal activities, but also pay attention to popular science publicity, so that more people know that the functions of "net celebrity salt" are no different from ordinary salt, and then maintain Consumers' right to know allows people to consume clearly and not fall into the consumption trap.

　　Li Guo