Pink Himalayan salt is a marketing premium with a heavy-metal cost. The pink color comes from iron oxide and trace lead. Most pink salt brands publish heavy-metal panels that exceed the IRL on normal cooking-use volume.
Pink Himalayan salt averages roughly 10x the lead concentration of refined sea salt. At normal cooking-use volume (~5g/day across all dishes), the lead contribution is 1-2 µg/day. The child IRL is 2.2 µg/day total. One ingredient eats half the daily allowance.
Diamond Crystal kosher salt, Morton kosher, or any refined sea salt. All test cleanly. The pink is the only premium that costs anything biological.
Same method as the spice scan. Sprinkle on white surface. One drop of reagent. UV after 30 seconds. Green glow means lead-bearing.
