Celery salt is a seasoned salt used to flavour food. The primary ingredient is table salt and the flavouring agent is ground seeds from celery[1] or its relative lovage.[2] It is also sometimes produced using dried celery or seed oleoresin.[3][4]
Celery salt normally contains an anticaking agent such as silicon dioxide[1] or calcium silicate.[2]
As a vegetable, celery seeds have potassium as the dominant ion over sodium (ninefold more).[5]
Celery salt is an ingredient of the Bloody Mary cocktail and the Caesar cocktail.[6] It is also reported to be an ingredient in KFC's secret spice mix.[7] It is also commonly used to season the Chicago-style hot dog, the New York System wiener, salads, coleslaw and stews. It is a primary ingredient in Old Bay brand seasoning.[8]
Because sodium nitrate, a chemical that serves as a food preservative, occurs naturally in celery, celery salt is often used by food producers to prevent spoilage while avoiding listing sodium nitrate on the ingredients list directly.[9][citation needed]
