On communal salt bowls

How questionable is it to have one of those little salt bowls that everyone takes a pinch from?

Your instinct to be concerned about a communal finger-food bowl situation is correct. In theory, a pinch bowl is a cesspool of bacteria. But the bowl of salt—even one that sees a lot of action— is safe.

Bacteria can’t grow in salt. This is why salt is the original food preservative. (Think: Vikings preserving fish; Egyptians preserving humans, aka mummies*). 

Salt is an effective preservative, just ask the Egyptians

In many cases, salt kills bacteria and viruses by voraciously sucking the moisture out of them, much like me with a margarita at an airport bar. So: pinch away! 

*Which naturally raises the question: could you eat a mummy without getting sick? Uhh...technically...yes.

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