What is Sodium Nitrite?
Sodium Nitrite is an ingredient, approved by the USDA/FDA, which has long been used as a safe curing agent in the processing of certain meats. Sodium nitrite is an effective antimicrobial agent for certain pathogens, particularly Clostridium botulinum. In the event that cured meats are temperature abused, sodium nitrite provides a degree of protection by delaying outgrowth of spores. Nitrite also functions as an antioxidant in cured meat.
Sodium nitrite is a chemical compound which is used principally as an additive in meats and other foods. It has properties that preserve color and freshness, especially in processed meats. In its pure state, it is a white or yellowish powder, with a texture somewhat like salt. It is considered a salt in the chemical sense, meaning that it is composed of positively charged ions of a metal — sodium — and negatively charged non-metal ions — nitrite. There are at least three purposes accomplished by the addition of sodium nitrite to certain food products. The first is the preservation of color. Sodium nitrite preserves the red color of meats and some types of fish so that they remain red even if they are cooked while being processed. Another purpose is to inhibit the growth of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. This species of microorganism is highly dangerous when it is present in food products, because it produces a neurotoxin which causes a set of symptoms in humans known as botulis
Sodium nitrite is a food additive that has been used for decades to preserve meats, poultry and fish. When used alone or in conjunction with sodium nitrate, nitrite gives cured meats their characteristic reddish-pink color, flavor and texture. Nitrite and salt also inhibit the outgrowth of C. botulinum. Sources of Sodium Nitrite More than 85 percent of a person’s daily intake of nitrite comes from nitrate in green, leafy vegetables or root vegetables, such as lettuce, spinach and carrots, and some drinking water. At most, about 5 percent of a person’s daily intake comes from cured meats. Role of Sodium Nitrite in the Body Sodium nitrite has a number of biological functions in the body. Your body needs a certain level of nitrite in order to fight bacteria found in the stomach and protect against bacterial illnesses, such as gastroenteritis. In fact, your body produces nitrite from sodium nitrate through a naturally occurring chemical process in the saliva. Sodium nitrate that is consume
