Reactions of nitrite in meat

Abstract

The chemistry of nitrite, the properties of meat, and the curing process are covered in this review of the reactions of nitrite in meat. The salts of nitrite are soluble in water and very reactive. Meat contains an enormous variety of chemicals and these chemicals are contained in a complicated morphological muscle structure. When nitrite is added to meat for curing, less than 50% of that added can be analyzed chemically after completion of processing. Nitrite reacts with the myoglobin to form the cured meat color. Nitrite also reacts with the proteins, lipids and carbohydrates in the meat or its additives. Before heating, some of the nitrite of cured beef often turns into nitrate, in some cases up to 40%. Research is being conducted to block the formation of nitrosamines in cured meat