Nitrite salt

Nitrite curing salt

Nitrite salt represents a step forward in meat processing. Salt is used in the production of almost all food products. In meat systems containing sodium chloride, the direction of processing reactions depends largely on the quantity and composition of chemical impurities and the microbiological contamination of the food-grade salt. Vacuum salt free of heavy-metal impurities, ions and halophilic bacteria is particularly promising for the food industry.

K+S food-grade nitrite curing mix uses highly pure vacuum salt with a sodium chloride content of at least 99.8%. This is achieved through a gentle crystallisation process and the use of particularly pure brine.

Excellent flow properties and a grain size of 0.10–0.71 mm make the K+S curing mix convenient to use and support food preservation. Iodine and an anti-caking agent may be added.

The salt has been certified to ISO 9001:2008 and meets HACCP certification requirements.

Preservation

Salt inhibits the development and growth of microorganisms by reducing the amount of free moisture available to them in meat products. It suppresses bacteria and moulds rather than completely destroying them. Sodium nitrite acts on spore-forming microflora by penetrating the bacterial cell membrane and preventing its development.

Colour

Nitrite reacts with myoglobin in meat to form nitrosomyoglobin, which gives the product a pink-red colour after heat treatment. Increasing the amount of nitrite intensifies the colour-forming reaction and can extend the finished product’s storage life. The reaction is activated when the product is heated above 30 °C. At 60–70 °C, nitrosomyoglobin and nitrosohaemoglobin lose their protein component through denaturation and are converted into nitrosohaemochromogen and nitrosomyochromogen, giving meat its red colour. Without sodium nitrite, metmyoglobin forms and the finished product turns grey after heat treatment, which is undesirable for most meat and sausage products.

Flavour

Salt gives meat products their characteristic flavour. Its combined use with sodium nitrite improves flavour intensity. Sodium nitrite has an antioxidant effect on lipids, improving sensory characteristics and storage life. Pure sodium nitrite is toxic; nitrite curing salt is therefore recommended to help avoid sodium nitrite overdosing in finished products.