Salting is a practice used by data owners to protect their data. The owner of the data places false data into their work so that they can be alerted when someone uses or copies it. Used extensively in the direct mail industry and by government agencies.

If I have compiled a list of names and addresses all from people who like to golf and you wish to buy it for a one-time mailing, how do I know that you will only use it once? By putting names and addresses into the list that are not people who like golf, but will instead lead back to me. Every time you use the list I will know.

In daily life, many people 'salt' their own personal data when filling out forms (especially website registrations). They will intentionally misspell their name or give an email address that is valid, but normally unused.

Any response with the misspelt name or to the unused email address is a dead giveaway that the originating site or organization has been selling your personal data.


Salting is also a practice whereby labor unions place or attempt to place workers into non-union shops for the purpose of disrupting the business.

To cure or preserve by treating with salt or a salt solution.

Salting is one of the oldest, simplest, and most effective methods of food preservation. Centuries ago, salting was the most popular method of preserving meats (smoking and drying meats was also popular). Today however, companies rely mainly on freezing as a means of preservation.

To understand why salting works you must first understand why meats will spoil. There are two reasons: autolysis and bacteria. Autolysis is the deterioration of the meat caused by enzymes already present in the tissue. Bacteria will also deteriorate the meat. This occurs because in such favorable conditions (dead tissue) the bacteria is allowed to multiply and grow very quickly. This results in the production of many enzymes that break down and destroy the meat tissue.

When salt is introduced, the large majority of the bacteria destroyed. However, in order for the salting to be effective, the tissue of the meat must absorb the salt and replace its water content with a salt and water solution before bacteria and autolytic decomposition are allowed to spoil the meat. Some factors affecting this are temperature, salt purity, and variety of meat.

Also, there are two methods of salting. Dry salting and brine salting. The selection of which method should be used depends mostly on the type of meat (mainly it's fat content).

Salt"ing (?), n.

1.

The act of sprinkling, impregnating, or furnishing, with salt.

2.

A salt marsh.

 

© Webster 1913.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.