It is salt that gives the name to salumi, Italian cured meats. The Latin salumen means "salty things" and, if in the past it mainly referred to fish, today it is typically used for meat. The preservative properties of salt were already well known in ancient times: it removes free water and regulates fermentation, which - when it comes to meat, matured at the right temperatures and humidity - allows the development of favorable bacteria. Salt and - in some cases - herbs, pepper and other natural spices are normally used to produce Italian cured meats: an abundance of over…