ABSTRACT
Nitrates and nitrites are additives widely used in the manufacturing of meat products to the end of obtaining specific sensory properties, stability and hygienic safety by virtue of inhibiting the growth of spores of Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium botulinum. However, their traditional use in the meat industry is being questioned due to their involvement in the formation of nitrosamines that have been shown to have carcinogenic properties; at the same time, meat products have been recognized as important sources of microorganisms frequently causing human food-borne diseases.
