Contribution of nitrite and nitrate to the colour and flavour of cured meats

Abstract

The formation of nitric oxide myoglobin from nitrite and myoglobin involves a complex series of reactions not all of which are completely understood even now, and the stability of the cured colour, so important from the marketing point of view, continues to be investigated. The amount of nitrite necessary for complete formation of nitric oxide myoglobin is very small and the presence of no more than 25 mg/kg of nitrite in the cured meat is enough to ensure an adequately stable colour. At least four times this level is essential to produce a full development of the typical cured flavour. Very little is known of the mechanism of the reactions leading to the formation of cured flavours in cooked products or of the identity of the volatile substances responsible for it.

Effect of Sodium Nitrite and Sodium Erythorbate on the Chemical, Sensory, and Microbiological Properties of Water-Added Turkey Ham

“…Treatments containing sodium nitrite had significantly higher amounts of pigment (Table 3), were more red in color (Table 4), and were preferred by sensory panelists when compared to the hams containing no nitrite (Table 8). This study and those reported by MacDougall et al (1975), Chyr et al (1980), and Wesley et al (1982) indicate that an acceptable color can be achieved in both cured poultry and red meat systems by using only 50 ppm sodium nitrite.…”

The Use of Blood and Derived Products as Food Additives

“…It is responsible for the red color [60,61], and characteristics and desirable flavor of cured meats [62,63]. It may also influence the texture of the product through the promotion of protein cross-linking [64].…”

Flavor of Meat and Meat Products

“…There have been only a few reports focussing attention mainly on the composition of cured-meat flavour (Bailey and Swain, 1973;MacDougall et al, 1975). Some of the recent reviews on meat flavour chemistry have given special emphasis to the discussion of the nature of cured-meat flavour (Gray et al, 1981;.…”