curing salt nitrite nitrate saltpeter history and benefits

Nitrite is considered an essential curing ingredient responsible for “fixing” the color characteristics associated with cured meats, creating a unique flavor profile that distinguishes it from products that do not contain nitrite, promoting control of lipid oxidation and serving as an efficient antimicrobial. alone or in synergy with other ingredients.

Sodium nitrate, also considered a healing ingredient, is only effective in the same way as nitrite if it is first reduced to sodium nitrite. The reduction can be carried out by bacteria naturally present in the meat or by the addition of bacteria with reducing activity. Although less used today, sodium nitrate is still included in products such as long-cured sausages, such as raw hams, cups and salami, where the long maturation period requires a long reserve of sodium nitrite. More recently nitrate reduction is being used as a method of indirect curing action in “natural” and “organic” cures made to simulate the conventional curing process.

Dating back to the origins of curing, the discovery of saltpeter (potassium nitrate) may never be known but is generally accepted as the accidental contamination of salt used for the sole purpose of preserving meat centuries ago. As preservation and practices of “fixing” the unique red color and flavor increased, treating meat with salt, saltpeter and smoking became the standard. Later in the 19th and early 20th centuries, discoveries about meat curing were made by pioneering scientists Polenske, J. Haldane, K. Kisskalt, R. Hoagland, and KB Lehman. These scientists were able to create the fundamental understanding of curing ingredients and that nitrite, not nitrate, was responsible for curing meats.

The discovery of nitrate and nitrite maximized the unique benefits of these additives by offering control for appropriate levels of addition to red meat and poultry. Before the discovery of curing components, meats were seasoned and cured excessively for preservation reasons, a technique that was slowly being refined to better meet consumers' desires for products with a more pronounced meat flavor. By adding less salt and other preservation methods, made possible by the introduction of nitrite and nitrate, cured meat products went from low quality and durability to better quality and longer shelf life. As the healing process evolved, it changed from a fuzzy art to a sophisticated science. Decades of research have been carried out to better understand the quality and safety of observations made centuries ago. Due to the complexity of healing and reactions related to the healing process, research continues to this day. Nitrite is still considered a fascinating, unique, irreplaceable, and not fully understood ingredient.

To better understand the use of curing salt, read Curing salt, what it is and how much to use

Source: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/8873/f13b3813e748008bdf3470d8acb81eb6c67a.pdf