Opened a new container of Morton Iodized salt and the crystals look like this. What happened?
by burnerburner0913
36 Comments
SecTriceps
You may need to reboot your system. Seems to be running slow and your textures aren’t loading properly.
Khikey
I have no answers but that’s wild
SMFCAU
Takes the edge off and gives you a much smoother taste!
/s
Professional_One8495
Honestly never seen that, pretty weird. Would love to see an explanation
Lain_ily
i have noticed this before with various salts
jdelane1
They look like plastic pellets…stupid question but do they taste like…salt??
RainMakerJMR
Humidity mostly probably.
chuck354
Looks like bug a salt ammo, that’s the only place I’ve seen spherical salt. Maybe a batch for crossed?
Jamesiefied
Another Redditor asked a similar question over [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/s/XvIrjF9Yry) but there wasn’t any satisfactory answer given, other than time wearing down the crystals into these perfect spheres (which doesn’t happen like that)
Since sodium crystals are naturally very angular with sharp edges, it would be my guess that Morton started manufacturing their salt as these spheres because it’s somehow a cost-saving method. Possibly even processing the sodium in such a way that it goes farther in this shape, with fillers.
TheEschatonSucks
You’ve got a case of salt balls.
Boo-urns_
Cause of science.
iirc it helps prevent the salt grains from sticking/clumping up in humid conditions etc.
“Salt crystals are typically cubic, but spherical salt crystals can be created through specific techniques like adding glycine to a brine solution or through controlled crystallization processes. These methods influence crystal growth to favor the formation of near-spherical shapes, often for practical reasons like improved flowability.”
A half-century ago, scientists found that adding the amino acid glycine to a salty brine solution slows the growth around the 12 edges of a cubic crystal. The crystal grows not into a cube but into a 12-sided, almost spherical shape known as a rhombic dodecahedron.
They add glycine to a salty brine solution to create an almost spherical salt which prevents the salt crystals from sticking together.
this_isnt_alex
they look like those balls from the silica dont eat packets
superhyphyhellaphant
looks like silica
Ductfkr
No clue, but it’s very pleasing to look at.. kind of like the opposite feeing as trypophobia lol
VintageVirtues
I asked my husband who has a phd in this stuff. He says the salt was exposed to just enough humidity to bloat and reform the shape which, after being rolled around, formed spheres.
TwinFrogs
It looks like a desiccant packet broke open. See if they melt.
Revenga8
You sure that’s salt and not desiccant pellets?
andrew867
Anti-coagulation salt, another comment has a link to the process with glycine to slow crystal growth into a twelve sided shape 🙂
36 Comments
You may need to reboot your system. Seems to be running slow and your textures aren’t loading properly.
I have no answers but that’s wild
Takes the edge off and gives you a much smoother taste!
/s
Honestly never seen that, pretty weird. Would love to see an explanation
i have noticed this before with various salts
They look like plastic pellets…stupid question but do they taste like…salt??
Humidity mostly probably.
Looks like bug a salt ammo, that’s the only place I’ve seen spherical salt. Maybe a batch for crossed?
Another Redditor asked a similar question over [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/s/XvIrjF9Yry) but there wasn’t any satisfactory answer given, other than time wearing down the crystals into these perfect spheres (which doesn’t happen like that)
Since sodium crystals are naturally very angular with sharp edges, it would be my guess that Morton started manufacturing their salt as these spheres because it’s somehow a cost-saving method. Possibly even processing the sodium in such a way that it goes farther in this shape, with fillers.
You’ve got a case of salt balls.
Cause of science.
iirc it helps prevent the salt grains from sticking/clumping up in humid conditions etc.
[Article from ’06](https://www.telegram.com/story/news/local/north/2006/06/19/science-creates-spherical-salt/53085795007/)
“Salt crystals are typically cubic, but spherical salt crystals can be created through specific techniques like adding glycine to a brine solution or through controlled crystallization processes. These methods influence crystal growth to favor the formation of near-spherical shapes, often for practical reasons like improved flowability.”
Edit: [Found another article](https://phys.org/news/2021-11-nanoscale-self-assembling-salt-crystal-origami-balls.html#:~:text=The%20authors%20of%20the%20study,self%2Dassemble%20into%20perfect%20spheres)
Could be a capillary origami action-type new science that the makers of the salt are starting to use, maybe?
Special salt that doesn’t clump.
https://www.telegram.com/story/news/local/north/2006/06/19/science-creates-spherical-salt/53085795007/
A half-century ago, scientists found that adding the amino acid glycine to a salty brine solution slows the growth around the 12 edges of a cubic crystal. The crystal grows not into a cube but into a 12-sided, almost spherical shape known as a rhombic dodecahedron.
https://www.telegram.com/story/news/local/north/2006/06/19/science-creates-spherical-salt/53085795007/
They add glycine to a salty brine solution to create an almost spherical salt which prevents the salt crystals from sticking together.
they look like those balls from the silica dont eat packets
looks like silica
No clue, but it’s very pleasing to look at.. kind of like the opposite feeing as trypophobia lol
I asked my husband who has a phd in this stuff. He says the salt was exposed to just enough humidity to bloat and reform the shape which, after being rolled around, formed spheres.
It looks like a desiccant packet broke open. See if they melt.
You sure that’s salt and not desiccant pellets?
Anti-coagulation salt, another comment has a link to the process with glycine to slow crystal growth into a twelve sided shape 🙂

TIL there’s spherical salt
https://i.redd.it/dv2staga7dbf1.gif
Maybe they were tumbled. I’m surprised they didn’t cleave into smaller cubes though when they shattered.
I want sphere salt wTF that’s RAD
No idea but how does it feel to have salty balls in your hands?
To fit through the round holes on the salt shaker.
You don’t have Kosher salt. You have Presbyterian salt. It is a lesser known, quieter salt
Eat it and prove it’s salt.
Man, I’ve never seen high-poly salt before. I think I missed that update
Helps round out a dish
This looks like you got the special edition “OOPS! All desiccant!” variant.
good god this looks like silica.
Helps to round out the flavor
Easy mistake OP, you bought Ballt, not salt.