Called a “divine substance” by Homer, salt has been an essential part of civilization for culinary, political, commercial, and scientific uses. The word “salary” is derived from the Latin word salarium, or salt-money, because salt was used as a form of payment in Ancient Rome. With global modernization, salt has shifted from monetary currency to food currency and is widely used as a food preservative and for food flavoring, particularly in commercially prepared or packaged foods.