Do coarse pink salts shed more plastic from grinder heads than fine table salt?
Yes. Bigger and harder crystals scrape the plastic teeth more, so coarse pink and Himalayan salts release the most plastic per twist.
What's actually in it
Cheap salt mills come with plastic grinder heads. The teeth are tough but salt crystals are harder. Each twist scrapes plastic off into your food. Coarse pink Himalayan and Hawaiian sea salt chunks are bigger and harder than fine table salt. Bigger crystals press into the teeth with more force, which means more plastic shavings per twist.
What the research says
A 2026 study in Sci Total Environ tested plastic grinder heads with table salt and counted microplastics in the output. Mills shed plastic every grind. Particle size and shape varied. The harder the crystal and the faster the grind, the more plastic landed on the food.
Switch to a ceramic burr or stainless steel mill. Brands like Peugeot, Cole & Mason ceramic, and Cuisinart stainless sell them at any kitchen store. Pre-ground sea salt in a glass shaker also works. Skip salt mills with see-through glass bodies and hidden plastic teeth.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Investigating microplastic release from plastic grinder heads during salt grinding | Sci Total Environ | 2026 |
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