Nitrates and Nitrites

Wurstmeister Mike gets asked this question all the time. Do you use Nitrites? Yes, we do but let us explain what nitrates and nitrites are. The information below is according to a pamphlet from the American Association of Meat Processors; The Facts: Nitrates & Nitrites*:

What is Nitrate?
Sodium nitrate is a naturally occurring substance in vegetables, water, soil and even air. It is also found in some salt in its natural state and has been used for thousands of years to cure meats. 

What is Nitrite?
When nitrate is used to cure meats, it converts to nitrite and the nitrite then reacts with elements in the meat to preserve the meat.

What do Nitrites do to meat?
Nitrite gives cured meats its unique flavor and appearance and without it we could not have bacon, hot dogs, most sausages, hams and other meat products as we know them. The most important function of nitrite, in cured meat products, is that it preserves the meat by preventing the growth of certain bacteria. 

Are Nitrites safe to eat?
According to the National Academy of Sciences, the American Cancer Society and the National Research Council, there's no proof of cancer risk from consuming sodium nitrite and therefore considered safe to eat. It may surprise you to learn that nitrites are produced in your own body in greater amounts than can be obtained from food and 70-90% of your exposure comes from your own saliva. When we talk about food, vegetables are the primary source of nitrites. Over 90% of the nitrite we get from food come from vegetables.  One serving of arugula, 2 servings of butter lettuce and 4 servings of celery or beets all have more nitrite than 467 hot dogs.  This is because USDA limits the amount of nitrite in hot dogs and bacon to 120 parts per million, and during the curing process the nitrite turns to nitric oxide and leaves only 10 parts per million in the finished product.  

Here is a list of some common vegetables and their nitrite content:

Cabbage......200 to 353 parts per million

Lettuce.........600 to 1700 parts per million

Spinach........500-1900 parts per million

Beets............1200 to 1300 parts per million

Carrots.........100 to 900 parts per million

Radishes......1500 to 1800 parts per million

*American Association of Meat Processors - The information contained here was gathered from multiple outside resources and has been compiled to provide factual science on the above topics for the consumer.  The knowledge provided is a summary and does not contain all possible information about the subject.