鹽巴具有防腐功能，人類也利用它創造、調節及提升食品的風味。早期臺灣人以鹽巴為食物進行加工，發展出如鹽漬物、魚乾等產品。鹽巴作為當代醬料產品的成份之一，主要作為調味料，防腐的功能則已被防腐劑所取代。臺灣的食品加工業使用添加劑的行為雖受相關食品安全條列管制，不過，近年來，食物安全事故頻生，公眾健康成為熱門話題，使消費者更加關注產品防腐劑的使用情況。部分醬園因此發展新的配方以減少甚至剔除防腐劑的使用。2014年，一個位於嘉義縣的地方文化協會嘗試結合日曬鹽巴、有機黃豆及在地醬油的生產技術，製造出不含防腐劑的蔭豉及蔭油產品，以配合虱目魚、吳郭魚等產品進行市場行銷。受協會邀請，筆者參與觀察協會成員及生產者對防腐技術和鮮度提升（提鮮）的討論，以及參與他們製作該產品的實踐過程。透過描述此過程，筆者將探討近年地方農、漁及手工產品的行銷風潮下，不同行動者如何理解防腐技術、食物安全、健康及風味等議題。他們的掙扎反映出臺灣在地友善環境的生產者在創造市場差異性時，需同時理解消費習慣、加工技術及行銷風格等因素是如何影響產品市場價值的。同時，筆者也反思個人參與觀察的過程、以及應用人類學在臺灣本土飲食文化發展的貢獻。

Salt is a common preservative which is also used to modify and enhance the flavour of food, such as salted fish and pickles, in Taiwan. Nowadays, most Taiwanese food processors use artificial preservatives to enhance the quality and safety of the sauces for food; rather than seeing salt in its original preservative function, processors see it merely as an ingredient for seasoning. Food safety regulations have been imposed on the food processing industry to reduce the excessive use of artificial preservatives. Also, consumers increasingly pay attention to processors’ practices due to food safety episodes and the stronger public health awareness in recent years. As a response, some sauce plants have developed new formulas that minimize or even eliminate artificial preservatives. In 2014, a local cultural association in Chiayi County attempted to develop a new brand of soy sauce and fermented soy bean that includes solar salt and local organic soy beans. The association aimed to exclude artificial preservatives. It found and cooperated with a local artisanal sauce plant to develop this product line. The association planned to promote the sauce and beans together with local dishes such as milkfish and tilapia. As an anthropologist in the field, I was invited by the association to conduct participant observation of the product development. In this article, I focus on their discussion and tasting exercises of different samples. The discussion was related to preservation technology and flavour enhancement. In examining this case, I further analyze how different actors understand preservation technology, food safety, health, and flavour. Taiwanese agricultural communities are eager to develop, brand, and market their products. I illustrate their practices and struggles in their attempts to differentiate their products from others. I argue that consumers’ practices, processing technology, and marketing practices affect the value of agricultural products in Taiwan. I also reflect on how the perspective of applied anthropology can contribute to local culinary culture in Taiwan.