The potential for current sodium and potassium production to support a global switch to the use of potassium-enriched salt: a desktop research study.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE Switching regular salt (sodium chloride) for salt enriched with potassium chloride (25% potassium chloride, 75% sodium chloride) has been shown to reduce blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. We sought to define the potential for current production of sodium chloride and potassium chloride to support a global switch to the use of potassium-enriched salt. DESIGN We summarised data from geological surveys, government reports and trade organisations describing the global production and supply of sodium chloride and potash (the primary source of potassium chloride) and compared this to potential requirements for potassium-enriched salt. SETTING Global. SUBJECTS N/A. RESULTS Approximately 280 million tonnes of sodium chloride were produced in 2020 with China and the United States the main producers. Global production of potash from which potassium chloride is extracted was about 44 million tonnes with Canada, Belarus, Russia and China providing 77% of the world's supply. There were 48 countries in which potassium-enriched salt is currently marketed with 79 different brands identified. Allowing for loss of salt between manufacture and consumption, a full global switch from regular salt to potassium-enriched salt would require about 9.7 million tonnes of sodium chloride to be replaced with 9.7 million tonnes of potassium chloride annually. CONCLUSIONS Significant up-scaling of the production of potassium chloride and the capacity of companies able to manufacture potassium-enriched salt, as well as a robust business case for the switch to potassium chloride, would be required.