Medycyna Wet. 65 (12), 803-806, 2009
| Pospiech E., Frankowska A. |
| Nitrates III and V – their application and future in food processing |
| The aim of the paper was to present various viewpoints regarding the possibilities of applying nitrates III and V in meat processing in the context of the available literature on this subject, legislation and current practice. Nitrates have been used in meat industry as food preservatives for ages. They contribute to producing the desirable, red-pink meat colour, improve taste and smell of meat products, extend their shelf-life and prevent the development of Clostridium botulinum, bacteria dangerous for humans. However, it is also recognized that the above-mentioned compounds can exert a negative influence on consumers’ health. It has been demonstrated that nitrites and nitrates are the precursors of noxious compounds, including carcinogenic nitrosamines. That is why for years various measures have been undertaken regarding the methods and doses of their application in food industry. Reducing the quantities of nitrates and nitrites added to meat products aims at protecting consumers’ health from an excessive exposure to these types of substances. All the time, however, discussions are continuing whether the currently recommended quantities of these compounds added to meat are still not too high and whether it is not advisable to ban these substances from food processing altogether. Denmark is given here as an example since the Danish regulations concerning the application of nitrites and nitrates are definitely more restrictive in comparison with the other EU member states, hence meat articles manufactured there contain much smaller quantities of these compounds. In spite of that, for many years there have been no cases attributable to Botulinus toxins in Denmark. A similar situation regarding botulin poisoning occurs in Poland; the cases of this type of poisoning are connected, primarily, with the production of sausages in conditions unrelated with industrial production. In conclusion, proposals are put forward to verify the desirability of further use of these compounds in food processing also in Poland. |
| Keywords: nitrates, nitrites, legislation, public heath, meat processing |