Sensoric and chemical limits in lowering the dose of sodium nitrite in the process of pork curing

Abstract

The specific cured meat odour and taste stimulus thresholds in pork containing different quantities of sodium nitrite were determined in relation to the residual nitrite level and relative contents of nitrosylpigments in meat. It was stated, that the specific odour and taste detection thresholds were equal to 10 and below 10 mg NaNO2/kg of meat, respectively, and the specific odour and taste recognition thresholds were equal to 26 and 21 mg NaNO2/kg of meat, respectively. The detection and recognition thresholds corresponded to 2.4 and 8.5 mg of residual nitrite in meat, respectively. In all the cases the relative contents of nitrosylpigments were above 50%. Taking into account the maintening of specific cured meat odour and taste, the dose of sodium nitrite in pork curing may be lowered to 30 mg/kg.