Mentos has profited from over $10 million in free advertising from the Mentos and Diet Coke videos on YouTube. Recent research shows that salt may be better than Mentos to fuel the soda geyser. Mentos has responded by initiating the Mentos Geysers contest...winner gets 1,000 iTunes and a year's supply of Mentos.

This week Mythbusters reported salt will provide the same explosive reaction as Mentos when placed in Diet Coke. Mentos doesn't want to lose the $10 million in free publicity this craze has given them (okay, I admit to making a video or two myself) and they have announced a contest...winner gets a year of free Mentos and 1,000 iTunes.

Salt is a dietary mineral essential for animal life, composed primarily of sodium chloride. Salt for human consumption is produced in different forms: unrefined salt (such as sea salt), refined salt (table salt), and iodised salt. It is a crystalline solid, white, pale pink or light grey in color, normally obtained from sea water or rock deposits. Edible rock salts may be slightly greyish in color due to this mineral content.Chloride and sodium ions, the two major components of salt, are necessary for the survival of all living creatures including humans. Some isolated cultures, such as the Yanomami in South America, have been found to consume little salt, possibly an adaptation originated in the predominantly vegetarian diet of human primate ancestors. Salt is involved in regulating the water content (fluid balance) of the body. Salt flavor is one of the basic tastes. Salt cravings may be caused by trace mineral deficiencies as well as by a deficiency of sodium chloride itself.It is believed that over consumption of salt may increase the risk of health problems, including high blood pressure. In food preparation, salt is used as a preservative and as a seasoning.