What are nitrates and nitrites?

Nitrates (NO3) are naturally occurring compounds that are created when plants break down nitrogen during photosynthesis. When nitrates come in contact with certain bacteria they break down into nitrites.

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What types of food and drink contain nitrates and nitrites?

Vegetables: Naturally occurring nitrates are primarily found in green leafy vegetables and root vegetables.

Drinking Water: Nitrates in groundwater are caused by fertilizers, manure, animal feedlots, municipal wastewater, and septic systems.

Cured Meats: Meat products such as ham, hot dogs, and bacon can be cured using the naturally occurring nitrates found in vegetables, or through the addition of chemical curing agents like sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite.

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Why are nitrates and nitrites used in meat products?

1. To give cured meat such as ham, bacon, and hot dogs their pink color
2. To prevent the growth of bacteria that can lead to food-borne illnesses such as Botulism
3. To preserve products so they can have a longer shelf-life.
4. To provide the distinctive cured flavor that we're accustomed to in ham, bacon, and hot dogs.

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Do Applegate Farms products contain nitrates and nitrites?

Applegate Farms does not add sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate to our meat products in order to cure them. Instead, we rely on the naturally occurring nitrites derived from celery juice and sea salt. Using salt to preserve meat is a technique that was discovered by the ancient Greeks as early as 850 BC!

Although it wasn’t until the start of the 20th century that scientists understood the role of nitrites in the curing process. Products cured this way do retain low levels of naturally derived nitrites.

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Why do Applegate Farms products say that they are "uncured"?

The USDA defines an uncured product as one that has been preserved without the use of chemical agents, such as sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate. Since Applegate Farms uses a combination of celery juice and sea salt to cure its hams and hot dogs, the USDA requires their labels to say “Uncured" and "No Nitrites" or "No Nitrites Added."

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What are the health issues associated with nitrates and nitrites?

During the cooking process, nitrites combine with amines, naturally present in meat, to form N-nitroso compounds or Nitrosamines. These compounds are known carcinogens. However, recent studies have shown that nitrites function as part of the human body's innate protection system. The body converts nitrates to nitrites in order to regulate blood pressure and destroy pathogens in the gut.

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What is Applegate Farms' opinion on eating meat that contains nitrites and nitrates?

Cured meats contain relatively low nitrite levels. In fact, nearly 93% of the nitrites that we ingest on a daily basis are derived from vegetables and water. Less than 5% come from cured meats.

At Applegate Farms we maintain a commonsense approach to food. Our philosophy is “Eat Less Meat, But Better Meat.” We believe that a naturally cured product that is eaten in moderation, and part of a well-balanced diet, is not harmful.

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