Nitrites in Cured Meats, Health Risk Issues, Alternatives to Nitrites: A Review

Shakil, Mynul Hasan; Trisha, Anuva Talukder; Rahman, Mizanur; Talukdar, Suvro; Kobun, Rovina; Huda, Nurul; Zzaman, Wahidu

doi:10.3390/foods11213355

Open AccessReview

Nitrites in Cured Meats, Health Risk Issues, Alternatives to Nitrites: A Review

by

Mynul Hasan Shakil

¹,

Anuva Talukder Trisha

¹,

Mizanur Rahman

¹,

Suvro Talukdar

¹,

Rovina Kobun

²

,

Nurul Huda

^2,*

and

Wahidu Zzaman

^1,*

¹

Department of Food Engineering and Tea Technology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh

²

Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Foods 2022, 11(21), 3355; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11213355

Submission received: 26 August 2022 / Revised: 28 September 2022 / Accepted: 15 October 2022 / Published: 25 October 2022

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Meat Microflora and the Quality of Meat Products)

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Abstract

Nitrite is one of the most widely used curing ingredients in meat industries. Nitrites have numerous useful applications in cured meats and a vital component in giving cured meats their unique characteristics, such as their pink color and savory flavor. Nitrites are used to suppress the oxidation of lipid and protein in meat products and to limit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms such as Clostridium botulinum. Synthetic nitrite is frequently utilized for curing due to its low expenses and easier applications to meat. However, it is linked to the production of nitrosamines, which has raised several health concerns among consumers regarding its usage in meat products. Consumer desire for healthier meat products prepared with natural nitrite sources has increased due to a rising awareness regarding the application of synthetic nitrites. However, it is important to understand the various activities of nitrite in meat curing for developing novel substitutes of nitrites. This review emphasizes on the effects of nitrite usage in meat and highlights the role of nitrite in the production of carcinogenic nitrosamines as well as possible nitrite substitutes from natural resources explored also.

Keywords: cured meat; nitrites; natural alternatives; health concerns

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MDPI and ACS Style

Shakil, M.H.; Trisha, A.T.; Rahman, M.; Talukdar, S.; Kobun, R.; Huda, N.; Zzaman, W. Nitrites in Cured Meats, Health Risk Issues, Alternatives to Nitrites: A Review. Foods 2022, 11, 3355. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11213355

AMA Style

Shakil MH, Trisha AT, Rahman M, Talukdar S, Kobun R, Huda N, Zzaman W. Nitrites in Cured Meats, Health Risk Issues, Alternatives to Nitrites: A Review. Foods. 2022; 11(21):3355. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11213355

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shakil, Mynul Hasan, Anuva Talukder Trisha, Mizanur Rahman, Suvro Talukdar, Rovina Kobun, Nurul Huda, and Wahidu Zzaman. 2022. "Nitrites in Cured Meats, Health Risk Issues, Alternatives to Nitrites: A Review" Foods 11, no. 21: 3355. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11213355

APA Style

Shakil, M. H., Trisha, A. T., Rahman, M., Talukdar, S., Kobun, R., Huda, N., & Zzaman, W. (2022). Nitrites in Cured Meats, Health Risk Issues, Alternatives to Nitrites: A Review. Foods, 11(21), 3355. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11213355

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Nitrites in Cured Meats, Health Risk Issues, Alternatives to Nitrites: A Review

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