Neutral salts are compounds formed when an acid reacts with a base, resulting in a solution that has a pH close to 7. They consist of positive ions (cations) from the base and negative ions (anions) from the acid. Common examples include sodium chloride and potassium nitrate. These salts do not exhibit acidic or basic properties in solution, making them neutral. They are often used in various applications, such as food preservation and chemical reactions, due to their stability and lack of reactivity in neutral conditions.