Nitrate, Nitrite and N-nitrosamine in Meat Products

Abstract

Food preservative additives are natural or synthetic substances that prevent microbial development, enzyme activity, and oxidation from causing food degradation. According to EU Regulation No. 1129/2011/EC 2011, nitrite (E249, E250), nitrate (E251, E252), and nitrite are allowed food additives in the European Union and are widely used to preserve meat. It has a great deal of technological utility and helps produce cured meats' distinctive pink colour, antioxidative activity, and flavour. It also inhibits the growth of bacteria that cause food spoilage, particularly Clostridium botulinum, which creates the potentially lethal toxin botulin. The most obvious and recognisable indication of nitrite toxicity in humans is methemoglobin production. In addition, certain amines in food may interact with nitrites to generate N-nitrosocompounds, several of which are known carcinogens. There is rising interest in using natural antimicrobials as food preservatives due to the negative short-and/or long-term effects of consuming chemical food preservatives over time, since synthetic preservatives can cause health issues, replacing them with natural preservatives is much better for humans and the environment. This review is discussing the possibility of using plant extracts, plant smoke presented as liquid smoke and the plant itself in preserving meat products resulting in clean label products. These technical processes may be well embraced.