How to Spot Meat Packaged with Nitrites
Nitrogen salts are known as nitrites and are added to certain foods, especially cured meats to prevent the growth of bacterium Clostridium botulinum. This species produces toxic waste products that cause botulism. Many people died from botulism before nitrites were used as a preservative. Nitrites also produce the characteristic flavor, texture and pink color of cured meats. Read on to learn more.
1
Read the list of ingredients for compounds containing the word "nitrite" or "nitrate." They will usually appear last since the ingredients are listed in descending order of amount and nitrites are used in small quantities. Most cured foods in the United States today contain sodium nitrite but potassium nitrite is used as well. Products such as country ham may use sodium nitrate instead because of the long aging period.
2
Realize that the United States Department of Agriculture has set a limit of 200 parts per million for the total combination of nitrites and nitrates. This is considered the minimum level needed to produce an anti-microbial effect. A single fatal dose for an adult is 30 to 35 grams and lower dosages can cause acute methemoglobinemia.
3
Consider that most people get 90 percent of their dietary intake of nitrates from vegetables, especially beets, cabbage, celery, radishes and spinach. However, the nitrate content of these vegetables varies widely by the amount of fertilizer used among many other factors.
4
Know the results from studies done in the 1970s to alleviate concerns about nitrites. They indicated that digestive by-products of nitrites and nitrates can cause cancer although these compounds are not directly carcinogenic. The nitrite level in cured meats has been reduced to 20 percent of the pre-1970s level.
5
Study attempts to find alternatives to nitrites. No acceptable alternative meat preservative has yet been found and the benefits of using nitrites at the current levels are believed to far outweigh the risks.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2074453_spot-meat-packaged-nitrites.html
Nitrogen salts are known as nitrites and are added to certain foods, especially cured meats to prevent the growth of bacterium Clostridium botulinum. This species produces toxic waste products that cause botulism. Many people died from botulism before nitrites were used as a preservative. Nitrites also produce the characteristic flavor, texture and pink color of cured meats. Read on to learn more.
1
Read the list of ingredients for compounds containing the word "nitrite" or "nitrate." They will usually appear last since the ingredients are listed in descending order of amount and nitrites are used in small quantities. Most cured foods in the United States today contain sodium nitrite but potassium nitrite is used as well. Products such as country ham may use sodium nitrate instead because of the long aging period.
2
Realize that the United States Department of Agriculture has set a limit of 200 parts per million for the total combination of nitrites and nitrates. This is considered the minimum level needed to produce an anti-microbial effect. A single fatal dose for an adult is 30 to 35 grams and lower dosages can cause acute methemoglobinemia.
3
Consider that most people get 90 percent of their dietary intake of nitrates from vegetables, especially beets, cabbage, celery, radishes and spinach. However, the nitrate content of these vegetables varies widely by the amount of fertilizer used among many other factors.
4
Know the results from studies done in the 1970s to alleviate concerns about nitrites. They indicated that digestive by-products of nitrites and nitrates can cause cancer although these compounds are not directly carcinogenic. The nitrite level in cured meats has been reduced to 20 percent of the pre-1970s level.
5
Study attempts to find alternatives to nitrites. No acceptable alternative meat preservative has yet been found and the benefits of using nitrites at the current levels are believed to far outweigh the risks.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2074453_spot-meat-packaged-nitrites.html
