Bacteriostatic Action of Nitrates

ALTHOUGH nitrites have been used officially in meat curing processes for well over a decade in the United States1, it is only comparatively recently that their use has been permitted in Great Britain2. Un-doubtedly, the predominant reason for their inclusion in cured meats has been the fact that they occasion a desirable colour in the finished product3; but it appears that they may also play an important part in producing a typical "cured" flavour2. When consumed directly, quantities of sodium nitrite in excess of 0.2 gm. may produce marked toxic effects in man4 so that their use in foods must be strictly controlled. For this reason pure food regulations both on the North American continent and in Great Britain forbid the inclusion of more than 0.02 per cent (200 parts per million) of sodium nitrite in cured meats.