ABSTRACT
Meat and meat products are generally considered to be foods of high nutritional value and are probably regarded as one of the most palatable and appetizing food commodities. The nutritional value of any food is a composite of many factors, and it is important to consider the contribution made by any food group to the nutrient intake of the population to appreciate fully the significance of nutrient losses during processing. Fats and mineral salts are fairly stable under most processing conditions. Curing consists of the addition of salt, sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite and other components to meat, both as a preservation technique and to promote or improve the organoleptic properties of the food. A review of nutritional changes resulting from curing and smoking would be incomplete without some reference to a possible hazard associated with this type of meat preservation, namely the formation of N-nitrosamines.
