Sodium nitrite is a chemical used as a preservative in meats and other foods. It preserves color, inhibits bacteria growth, and maintains freshness. It has medical applications but has been linked to cancer and headaches. Vitamin C can prevent its carcinogenic tendencies. Some advise avoiding it for children and pregnant/nursing women.
Sodium nitrite is a chemical compound that is primarily used as an additive in meats and other foods. It has properties that preserve color and freshness, especially in processed meats. In its pure state, it is a white or yellowish powder, with a somewhat salt-like consistency. It is considered a salt in the chemical sense, in the sense that it is composed of positively charged ions of a metal – sodium – and negatively charged non-metallic ions – nitrite.
There are at least three purposes achieved by adding sodium nitrite to some food products. The first is color retention. Sodium nitrite preserves the red color of meats and some types of fish so that they remain red even if they are cooked during processing.
Another purpose is to inhibit the growth of Clostridium botulinum bacteria. This species of microorganism is highly dangerous when present in food products, as it produces a neurotoxin that causes a series of symptoms in humans known as botulism. These symptoms include muscle paralysis, which can lead to respiratory failure and death.
Sodium nitrite, due to the way it is used in the curing process of meats, also maintains overall freshness by slowing the development of rancid flavors or odors in the food it is used to cure. It also has other applications outside of food preparation. In medicine, adequate doses of sodium nitrite can function as bronchodilators, intestinal relaxants, and even as an antidote to some poisons such as cyanide and hydrogen sulfide. It has also been used to dilate blood vessels and to treat certain lung disorders in infants.
As with any other chemical preservative, sodium nitrite has come under intense scrutiny as its safety has been questioned. Some laboratory studies have found links between consuming large amounts of sodium nitrite and a higher incidence of certain cancers. It has also been linked to headaches in those with a history of suffering. However, this chemical is also made by our own bodies, and some say we make more of it than we consume. This is an important point to consider, as it plays a vital role in maintaining stomach health, especially by controlling the growth of bacteria that could otherwise cause gastroenteritis.
The carcinogenic tendencies of sodium nitrite can be controlled or prevented by adding vitamin C to cured meats. However, some recommend that children and pregnant or nursing women avoid unnecessary intake of sodium nitrite. Like many controversial chemicals, it has not been conclusively shown to be a danger to human health in terms of the amounts people are usually exposed to.
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