What actually are nitrites, as Tesco launches nitrite-free ham?

TESCO HAS LAUNCHED two new Irish ham products made without added nitrites, as shoppers increasingly scrutinise the preservatives used in processed meat.

The range includes traditional and crumbed Irish ham slices, with both 100g packs costing €2.

Tesco has launched its own-brand nitrite-free ham, produced by O’Brien Fine Foods in Co Kildare, after some Irish brands such as Brady’s and Denny produced their own versions.

Tesco said the new product, which will be stocked in 97 branches, was a response to “growing consumer interest” in products made without added nitrites.

So, what exactly are nitrites?

Nitrites are simple chemical compounds made up of nitrogen and oxygen. The closely related nitrates (with an a) contain one additional oxygen atom.

Both occur naturally in soil, water and food. 

When used as food additives, nitrites and nitrates generally come in the form of sodium or potassium salts.

If you’re looking for them on an ingredients list, these can appear as potassium nitrite, sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate, or under their respective E numbers E249, E250, E251 and E252.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland lists all four as approved additives, subject to EU limits.

Why are they put in ham?

Nitrites have traditionally been used to cure meat and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, particularly the bacteria that cause botulism, a rare and life-threatening nerve illness.

They also help to give cured ham and bacon their familiar pink colour and distinctive flavour. Without them, cooked pork tends to have a greyer appearance.

Nitrites are most closely associated with bacon, ham and sausages, but they’re not found only in pork products.

They’re also occasionally used in some cured beef and poultry products, as well as certain fish and cheese products.

A number of smaller Irish producers are also selling ham products made without nitrites.

Why are people concerned about them?

You may have heard the word “nitrites” mentioned with concern by health influencers on social media.

That’s because under certain conditions, nitrites can contribute to the formation of chemicals known as nitrosamines, some of which can increase the risk of cancer.

That process can occur during the production or cooking of some foods, or inside the digestive system.

The World Health Organization’s cancer agency has classified processed meat, including ham, bacon and sausages, as carcinogenic to humans, based mainly on evidence linking its consumption to bowel cancer.

They’re a ‘Group 1′ carcinogen, the highest-possible ranking – in other words, there is “convincing evidence” that the substance causes cancer, according to the WHO.

That classification applies to processed meat as a whole, but researchers haven’t established that nitrites alone are responsible for the increased risk, with salt, haem iron, smoking, curing and high-temperature cooking among the other possible factors.

A large French study published in the British Medical Journal this year found an association between higher consumption of sodium nitrite and increased rates of prostate, breast and overall cancer.

A separate study involving more than 108,000 adults found that higher consumption of sodium nitrite and several other preservatives was associated with an increased incidence of type 2 diabetes.

Crucially, both were observational studies. They identified associations, but couldn’t prove that the additives directly caused the illnesses.

European food safety officials have previously concluded that the permitted levels of nitrates and nitrites added to food are sufficiently protective, though they have called for further research.

There’s also not yet firm evidence that processed meat made without added nitrites is necessarily safer.

It remains processed meat, and removing nitrites creates separate challenges for producers, including finding other ways to keep the food safe, stable and appealing.

Additional reporting from AFP

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