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Throughout history, meat preservation has evolved with technological advances, from salt and smoke to refrigeration and chemical additives. Preservatives prevent spoilage and foodborne illness, but concerns about negative health effects have been raised.
Throughout history, the method of preserving meat has generally followed technological advances. Early types of meat preservatives included salt, sugar, and smoke. As refrigeration and freezing became possible, these methods also became popular. Once meat preservation experts were able to employ chemicals to keep meat from spoiling or posing a health hazard, artificial preservatives were routinely added to cured and processed meats.
Meat preservatives prevent meat from spoiling, looking, smelling, and tasting off and often causing foodborne illness. By preserving meat, cultures could have safe sources of protein, even during famine or bad hunting seasons. Salt is one of the oldest meat preservatives. The Greeks and Romans, as well as other ancient cultures, cured meat by salting it.
A byproduct of salt is sodium nitrate, which gives preserved meats, such as bacon and ham, their distinctive reddish color. Sugar is often added to salt when preserving meat. Salting and sugar curing were often combined with smoking the meat to preserve it.
Soak, shake, and preserve are all types of meat preservatives that were first used when these technologies became viable. In the 1800s, heat sterilization became a standard method of preserving meat and other foods. Food was placed in jars, often with salt and sugar added, and cooked in hot water until its contents remained at 253.4 degrees Fahrenheit (123 degrees Celsius) for 15 minutes or more. This sterilized the meat, killing any bacteria present, including the one that causes deadly botulism.
Refrigeration is one of the most modern meat preservatives. Keeping raw meat at a temperature as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.44 degrees Celsius) typically extends its shelf life up to a week, while freezing meat at a temperature as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius) can keep it edible for four to 12 months.
Food additives, such as ascorbates and nitric oxide, are typically used as meat preservatives or in combination with other preservatives such as salt and sugar. Some of these additives add color and flavor as well as act as a preservative agent.
Artificial preservatives make meat safer to store and later consume, but concerns about the possible negative effects of preservatives on meat have been raised through scientific research. Preservatives such as nitrates and nitrites have been linked to bladder cancer, heart disease and type II diabetes. These artificial additives have also been suggested as a contributing factor to dementia.
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