Salting (food)

[3] Even in 1938, Eric Newby found the diet on the tall ship Moshulu to consist almost entirely of salted meat.

Moshulu's lack of refrigeration left little choice as the ship made voyages which could exceed 100 days passage between ports.

Various types of salted meat are staples of the diets of people in North Africa, Southern China, Scandinavia, coastal Russia, and in the Arctic.

In more recent times, freeze-drying, water binding humectants, and fully automated equipment with temperature and humidity control have been added.

[8] Jewish and Muslim dietary laws require the removal of blood from freshly slaughtered meat.

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and World Cancer Research Fund International (WCRF) have stated that there is strong evidence that consuming salted foods including salt-preserved fish and salt-preserved foods in general increases risk of stomach cancer and that the high salt content of processed meat may result in damage to the stomach mucosal lining.

"[11] Additionally, an excessive intake of salt has a dose-response relationship with elevated blood pressure, increasing the risk of several cardiovascular diseases.