Journal
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION
Volume 56, Issue 13, Pages 2133-2148Publisher
TAYLOR & FRANCIS INC
DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2013.812610
Keywords
Green alternatives nitrates; nitrites; meat products
Categories
Funding
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada [355254]
- FQRNT (Programme de recherche en partenariat visant le developpement d'alternatives sante a l'ajout des nitrites et des nitrates dans les produits carnes)
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Several food additives are added in food for their preservation to maintain the freshness of food (antioxidants) or to slow down or stop the growth of microorganisms (preservative agents). Nitrites and nitrates are used as preservative agents in meat. Nitrites give a smoked taste, a pinkish color in the meat and protect the consumers against the risk of bacterial deterioration. Their addition is however very limited as, in high dose, it can have risks on human health and the environment. Nitrites may also combine with secondary or tertiary amines to form N-nitroso derivatives. Certain N-nitroso compounds have been shown to produce cancers in a wide range of laboratory animals. Thus, alternatives of nitrates and nitrites are the object of numerous research studies. Alternatives, such as the addition of vitamins, fruits, chemicals products, natural products containing nitrite or spices, which have similar properties of nitrites, are in evaluation. In fact, spices are considered to have several organoleptic and anti-microbial properties which would be interesting to study. Several spices and combinations of spices are being progressively evaluated. This review discusses the sources of nitrites and nitrates, their use as additives in food products, their physicochemical properties, their negatives effects and the use of alternatives of nitrites and nitrates in preserving meat products.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available