Researchers Aim to Make Cured Meat Safer with “No Nitrite-Added” Curing Process
Nitrites and nitrates, often added to foods such as cured meat to preserve quality and extend shelf life, are increasingly subject to scrutiny as research about possible negative health effects emerge. However, with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (USDA’s AFRI), researchers from Texas A&M University are in the process of developing a method for curing meats without nitrites.
In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified processed meat as carcinogenic due to the curing process—which involves adding nitrites or nitrates by smoking—having the potential to form cancer-causing chemicals. Recently, regulatory bodies such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have called into question the food safety risk of nitrites and nitrates, and the French parliament has even approved a bill that calls for a gradual reduction in the use of nitrite in cured meats. Additionally, studies have shown that nitrite additives in foods may be linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.