Sea Salt Production Through Sun Drying Method in High-Density Polyethylene Platform

Sea salt was produced by sun-drying seawater on high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and its quality was evaluated and compared to local and imported salt bought in the market based on chemical composition, microbial content, and heavy metal contamination. The study included three treatments: muslin cloth (T1), a 5 µm filter bag (T2), sand and gravel (T3), imported salt, and local salt. For T1-T3, drying took four days, with yields ranging from 8.52 – 8.64 kg. Moisture content ranged from 5.05 – 9.77 % w/w, sodium chloride content from 86.61 – 92.02 % w/w, and iodine levels from 0.93 – 30.24 mg/kg. No detectable levels of inorganic arsenic, lead, mercury, or cadmium were found in any samples. Sea salt produced using the 5 µm filter bag (T2) showed significantly improved quality compared to other treatments and outperformed traditional salt beds, cooked salt, and imported salt. Salts produced in HDPE met recommended iodine levels for household salt (30 – 70 mg/kg). Moreover, iodine levels in HDPE-produced salt were higher than those in local and imported salts. Microbial analysis, including for E. coli, showed satisfactory results across all samples. Overall, sun-drying seawater on HDPE, especially with a 5 µm filter, proved effective in producing high-quality, safe, and nutritionally adequate sea salt.