Sal de cura
Sais de cura são utilizados na conservação de alimentos para evitar ou retardar a deterioração por bactérias ou fungos . Geralmente eles são usados na conservação de carnes como parte do processo para fazer linguiça ou carne curada. Sua composição contém sal de cozinha (cloreto de sódio) e nitrito de sódio (NaNO²) e/ou nitrato de sódio (NaNO³), que serve para inibir o crescimento de bactérias, especialmente o Clostridium botulinum para evitar o botulismo, e ajuda a preservar a cor da carne curada. – Tradução livre de Wikipedia Inglês.
A utilização da # na nomenclatura do sal cura é utilizado principalmente na América do Norte, no Brasil não existe comercialmente produtos com denominação sal de cura #1 ou sal de cura #2. Não existe legislação brasileira vigente sobre a composição de “sal de cura”, a Portaria nº 1004, de 11 de dezembro de 1998 determina o uso máximo de nitrito de sódio e nitrato de sódio.
Sal de cura #1 (em inglês: cure #1 ou pink curing salt #1 ou prague powder #1 ou apenas #1) é composto por sal de cozinha (cloreto de sódio) e nitrito de sódio (NaNO²). É utilizado para curas rápidas, como por exemplo linguiças frescas e produtos similares. A regulamentação norte-americana determina a proporção de 6.25% de nitrito de sódio e 93.75% de cloreto de sódio.
Sal de cura #2 (em inglês: cure #2 ou pink curing salt #2 ou prague Powder #2 ou apenas #2) é composto por sal de cozinha (cloreto de sódio) e nitrito de sódio (NaNO²) e nitrato de sódio (NaNO³). É utilizado para curas longas, como por exemplo salames, copas e produtos similares. A regulamentação norte-americana determina a proporção de 6.25% de nitrito de sódio, 4% de nitrato de sódio e 89.75% de cloreto de sódio.
IMPORTANTE
– Os livros citados nesta página são uma pequena parte da bibliografia americana sobre charcutaria;
– Os artigos citados nesta página são uma ínfima parte do que existe disponível na internet e em língua portuguesa;
– As citações em língua estrangeira estão literais conforme os respectivos livros, não houve tradução para que não haja nenhum prejuízo ou interpretação equivocada ;
– As pesquisas realizadas para a elaboração desta página não tem caráter acadêmico ou científico, são exclusivamente para agregar conhecimento;
– Utilize sempre a quantidade recomendada pelo fabricante do produto.
Livro: Embutidos, frios e defumados de Sylvio Cesar Rocco.
Nitrito e nitrato de sódio – Dois sais muito importantes no processo de cura. Conferem pigmentação estável, própria de produtos curados, e exercem algum efeito bacteriostático, especialmente sobre microrganismos anaeróbios, geralmente responsáveis por processos putrefativos e por doenças de origem alimentar.
A cor vermelha da carne deve-se a um pigmento instável, denominado mioglobina, presente na musculatura, que se altera na ausência de oxigênio ou quando submetido a altas temperaturas. A manutenção da cor vermelha, própria dos produtos curados, é o resultado da reação química entre a mioglobina e o nitrito de sódio (mais especificamente o óxido nítrico, resultante da degradação química do nitrito adicionado), produzindo o pigmento estável denominado nitrosomioglobina que, pela ação do calor do cozimento, transforma-se em nitrosohemocrorno, de cor rósea, mais estável que a nitrosomioglobina.
O nitrato de sódio, empregado na formulação, é lentamente transformado em nitrito, através da ação de certas bactérias presentes na carne, proporcionando pequenas quantidades de nitrito, importantes na manutenção da cor dos produtos.
O desenvolvimento do sabor, aroma e textura se deve, principalmente, ao desdobramento químico das proteínas da carne durante a maturação, que deve ser processada a baixas temperaturas e com ajuda dos aditivos citados, além de outros métodos e aditivos que mudam conforme o produto que se deseja obter. Esses aditivos devem ser utilizados com cuidado, seguindo-se rigorosamente a formulação de modo a não tornar o produto impróprio para consumo, por alterações organolépticas ou por risco de intoxicação decorrente ao excesso de nitrato e nitrito de sódio.
O nitrato e o nitrito de sódio devem ser comprados em pequenas quantidades e conservados separadamente em frascos de vidro escuro ou de plástico atóxico opaco, bem fechados e devidamente rotulados. A utilização de tais aditivos em estado puro é particularmente interessante para quem pretende fabricar produtos em escala comercial. Para tanto, porém, deve-se dispor de balança de precisão da ordem de 0,1g, que proporciona precisão e economia. Quem fabricar esses produtos, de maneira eventual e em pequenas quantidades, pode utilizar misturas prontas para cura, que combinam nitrato e nitrito de sódio na proporção adequada para cada tipo de produto, o que permite dosar tais aditivos com mais segurança, quando não se dispõe de balança adequada.
Artigo: Cura de Carnes, Prof. Roberto de Oliveira Roça, Departamento de Gestão e Tecnologia Agroindustrial, Universidade Estadual Paulista. Acessado em 07/01/2018.
O nitrito consumido em quantidades excessivas é tóxico. Uma dose única maior do que 15-20 mg/Kg de peso vivo pode ser letal. Entretanto, o nível máximo permitido em produtos cárneos é de 20 a 40 vezes abaixo da dose letal. Portanto, a utilização de nitrito em níveis recomendados não constitui nenhum problema de toxidade.
A reação do nitrito com aminas secundárias pode originar nitrosaminas que são compostos carcinogênicos. A concentração de nitrosaminas em produtos cárneos curados geralmente é menor do que 50ppb (partes por bilhão), sendo que a maioria das amostras analisadas são
negativas.
O nitrito inibe a germinação do C. botulinum e previne a formação de toxinas nos produtos cárneos curados. Se admite que a concentração mínima de nitrito necessária para inibir o C. botulinum seja de 150 ppm. Investigações estão sendo realizadas para encontrar um substituto para o nitrito, porém ainda
não foi encontrado nenhuma substância igual ou superior ao nitrito no desenvolvimento de cor e na ação antimicrobiana.
De acordo com o R.I.I.S.P.O.A., o emprego de nitratos e nitritos está restrito aos seguintes limites: Art. 372. O emprego dos nitratos e nitritos, de sódio ou de potássio, ou qualquer combinação entre eles, só pode ser feito em quantidades tais que, no produto para o consumo, o teor em nitrito não
ultrapasse a 200 partes por milhão (0,02%). Art. 373. Os nitritos de sódio ou de potássio só podem ser empregados, isoladamente ou em combinação, nas seguintes proporções máximas: 1 – 240 g para cada 100 litros de salmoura (0,24%) e, salmoura); 2- 60g para cada 100 Kg de carne, na cura a seco, de
mistura com o sal (0,06% a seco); 3 – 15 g para cada 100 Kg de carne picada ou triturada, de mistura com o sal (0,015% no método direto).
Artigo: Dosagem de nitrito e nitrato em produtos embutidos de carne, Pedro Alves de Souza, Raul Roberto de Souza Faleiros, Hirasilva Borba Alves de Souza, Universidade Estadual Paulista. Acessado em 07/01/2018.
Há muitos anos que se utiliza nitrito e nitrato de sódio em produtos embutidos de carne. Segundo a maioria dos pesquisadores a utilização desses sais tem por finalidade conferir cor e sabor aos produtos, além de funcionar como agente bacteriológico. Alguns trabalhos relatam que o nitrito de sódio possui a capacidade para inibir o crescimento e a produção de toxinas das varias espécies de Clostridium. Outros afirmam que a temperatura de processamento é mais eficiente do que o nitrito no combate ao Clostridium.
Concentrações superiores a 200 ppm, que é o limite estabelecido pela legislação vigente, têm sido detectadas em alguns produtos analisados. O emprego desses sais em níveis elevados pode trazer sérios riscos à solide dos consumidores pois o íon nitrito pode reagir com aminas e amidas presentes no meio e dar origem às nitrosaminas e nitrosamidas, substâncias consideradas carcinogênicas, mutagênicas e teratogênicas. Existem também outras razões para se limitar a quantidade de nitrito ingerido, principalmente por crianças, pois, uma vez absorvido, o nitrito pode agir sobre a hemoglobina e provocar a metahemoglobinemia, impedindo que ela exerça a função normal de transportar oxigênio.
Artigo: Efeito do uso do nitrato e nitrito na inibição de clostridium perfringens tipo a em lingüiça bovina curada, Melissa Amin e Jair Vicente Oliveira, Universidade Federal do Paraná. Acessado em 07/01/2018.
O presente trabalho teve como objetivo verificar a eficiência dos conservantes nitrato e nitrito na inibição do Clostridium perfringens tipo A, (responsável por toxinfecção alimentar) durante a vida útil de lingüiças de carne bovina curadas. As amostras foram elaboradas partindo-se de massa subdividida em grupo controle e grupo tratamento (adicionado de sal de cura), ambos inoculados com a cultura de C. perfringens (6 x 10 3 UFC). Efetuaram-se análises microbiológicas para quantificação da bactéria e a determinação dos níveis residuais de nitrato e nitrito. Os resultados demonstraram que durante o período de vida útil do produto (44 dias) não houve desenvolvimento do microrganismo nas lingüiças que receberam tratamento, mesmo em níveis baixos de nitrato e nitrito. Já no grupo
controle verificou-se crescimento do microrganismo, embora enquadrado no limite exigido pela legislação brasileira (3 x 10 3 UFC). As quantidades de nitrato e nitrito de sódio adicionadas (200 ppm) indicaram período de redução dos níveis de no mínimo quatro dias após o processo de elaboração, permanecendo então abaixo dos limites permitidos pela legislação (150 ppm). Os resultados obtidos evidenciaram a eficiência dos conservantes nitrato e nitrito na inibição do microrganismo Clostridium perfringens tipo A em lingüiça.
Artigo: Nitritos e nitratos em produtos cárneos enlatados e/ou embutidos, Luciana Zancheta Iamarino, Maria da Conceição de Oliveira, Marilza Marques Antunes, Michele de Oliveira, Rafael Olimpio Rodrigues, Cristiane Imenes de Campos Bueno Zanin, Márcio Schimile e Andréia Alves de Lima, União das Instituições de Serviço, Ensino e Pesquisa Ltda. Acessado em 08/01/2018.
A presença de conservantes em enlatados e embutidos é importante pois evitam possíveis danos à ação de agentes físicos, químicos e biológicos. Os conservantes têm como função retardar a deterioração dos alimentos e evitar as alterações no mesmo tanto na aparência como no sabor. Existem diversos tipos de conservantes utilizados para este tipo de alimento, destes os nitritos e nitratos são os mais utilizados.
Após avaliar os resultados das pesquisas de diferentes autores, pode-se concluir que o uso de nitritos e nitratos como aditivos em produtos embutidos pode trazer malefícios à saúde, como a origem da metahemoglobina que é incapaz de transportar oxigênio para as compostos N-nitrosos, que podem causar câncer gastrointestinal. Estes problemas surgem considerando a exposição a longo prazo, onde o indivíduo é exposto a pequenas concentrações destes conservantes ao longo da vida.
A população também tem contato com estas substâncias por meio de outras fontes, como água, vegetais e outros alimentos, que contribuem para o efeito cumulativo no organismo. Em contra partida, a não utilização dos conservantes podem trazer malefícios a saúde da população, uma vez que a ausência de nitritos e nitratos em produtos embutidos pode propiciar o crescimento de micro-organismos, isto faria com que o alimento se deteriorasse rapidamente, diminuindo assim, sua vida de prateleira e causando doenças nos consumidores.
Portanto, apesar de alguns malefícios, pode-se concluir que o uso de conservantes nestes alimentos é indispensável para que a população tenha acesso a um produto de qualidade e a melhor forma de evitar os problemas causados pelo excesso de nitritos e nitratos no organismo é a ingestão moderada desses alimentos na dieta, impedindo desta forma que os conservantes encontrem-se em grandes concentrações no organismo. células levando a falência das mesmas, além de compostos N-nitrosos, que podem causar câncer gastrointestinal. Estes problemas surgem considerando a exposição a longo prazo, onde o indivíduo é exposto a pequenas concentrações destes conservantes ao longo da vida. A população também tem contato com estas substâncias por meio de outras fontes, como água, vegetais e outros alimentos, que contribuem para o efeito cumulativo no organismo. Em contra partida, a não utilização dos conservantes podem trazer malefícios a saúde da população, uma vez que a ausência de nitritos e nitratos em produtos embutidos pode propiciar o crescimento de microorganismos, isto faria com que o alimento se deteriorasse rapidamente, diminuindo assim, sua vida de prateleira e causando doenças nos consumidores. Portanto, apesar de alguns malefícios, pode-se concluir que o uso de conservantes nestes alimentos é indispensável para que a população tenha acesso a um produto de qualidade e a melhor forma de evitar os problemas causados pelo excesso de nitritos e nitratos no organismo é a ingestão moderada desses alimentos na dieta, impedindo desta forma que os conservantes encontrem-se em grandes concentrações no organismo.
Artigo: Análise microbiológica e de nitrito e nitrato em linguiça, Fernanda Scherer Adami, Laís Scartezini Giovanaz, Gabriela Altenhofen, Simone Morelo Dal Bosco, Aline Marcadenti, Eniz Conceição Oliveira, Universidade do Vale do Taquari. Acesso em 07/01/2018.
O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar o teor de nitrito e nitrato, pH e atividade de água, bem como realizar análise microbiológica de produtos cárneos classificados como linguiça produzidos em estabelecimentos do Vale do Taquari,fiscalizados por Inspeção Sanitária Municipal.
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Todas as amostras estavam acima do valor de referência para atividade de água e dentro do valor de referência para pH. Os resultados indicam que os estabelecimentos não apresentaram padrão de produção, boas práticas e a maior parte das amostras de linguiça foi considerada imprópria para o consumo humano, principalmente em relação à concentração de nitrito e nitrato e a análise microbiológica.
Livro: Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing de Michael Ruhlman e Brian Polcyn.
There are different kinds of salts, of course, but throughout this book salt almost always refers to sodium chloride. What we call curing salts have nitrite in them and sometimes nitrate as well. Nitrite does a few special things to meat: it changes the flavor, preserves the meat’s red color, prevents fat from developing rancid flavors, and prevents many bacteria from growing, most notably those responsible for botulism poisoning. Curing salt with nitrite is called by different names and sold under various brand names (tinted cure mix, or T.C.M., DQ Curing Salt, Insta Cure #1). We call it pink salt because that’s what it looks like and how it’s commonly referred to in restaurant kitchens. No matter the name, it’s all the same: 93.75 percent salt and 6.25 percent nitrite. Nitrites, which are found in green leafy vegetables such as spinach and root vegetables, are not harmful or dangerous in small quantities, but in large quantities they are, and the curing mixture is dyed pink to prevent its accidental use or consumption; please treat it appropriately. Its most important function is to prevent botulism poisoning from sausages and other foods that are smoked. Sometimes nitrate is added to pink salt; this curing salt is used for dry-cured sausages, sausages that cure for a long time, and is sold under the brand names DQ Curing Salt #2 and Insta Cure #2.
Livro: Home Production of Quality Meats and Sausages de Stanley Marianski e Adam Marianski.
Meats were traditionally cured with Nitrates. Before Nitrate can release nitrite (the real curing agent) it has to react with bacteria that have to be present in the meat. Putting Nitrate into a refrigerator kept solution (below 40° F) will inhibit the development of bacteria and they may not be able to react with Nitrate. On the other hand sodium nitrite does not depend on bacteria and works well at refrigerator temperatures. When used with Nitrates/nitrites, salt is an incredibly effective preserving combination. There has not been even one documented incident of food poisoning of a meat cured with salt and Nitrates.
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After the Second World War, ended most people in Europe neither had refrigerators nor meat thermometers, but were curing meats with Nitrate and making hams and sausages all the same.
Because of primitive conditions the curing temperatures were often higher than those recommended today but any growth of C. botulinum bacteria was prevented by the use of salt and Nitrates.
They also predominantly used potassium Nitrate which works best at temperatures of 46-50° F (8-10° C) and those were the temperatures of basement cellars. There was not much concern about longer shelf life as the product was consumed as fast as it was made. Salt and nitrite will stop Cl. botulinum spores from developing into toxins, even at those higher curing temperatures. Due to increased bacteria growth at those higher curing temperatures the shelf life of a product would be decreased.
Livro: Charcutería: The Soul of Spain de Jeffrey Weiss.
Curing salts are not the enemy you think they are…really.
The short story is that curing salts provide two major benefits to our meat-curing cause: (1) They give smoked and cured meats their telltale pink color, cured aromas, and piquant flavors, and (2) they protect you from contracting botulism and other foodborne illnesses that proliferate in high-temperature and low-oxygen environments.
What you need to know, however, is that curing salts come in two pure forms—sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate. They are NOT interchangeable, as they have very different usages and results:
– Sodium nitrite, which is mainly sold in a mix called Instacure #1, DQ #1, or TCM #1, is meant for anything that will cure for 14 days or less. Typically, it is used with meats that should be cured and acidified quickly or will eventually be cooked. Thus, this mix is used for a lot of cooked or quick-fermenting, semicured embutidos.
– Sodium nitrate, which is mainly sold in a mix called Instacure #2, DQ #2, or TCM #2, is meant for anything that will cure for more than 14 days. That’s because over time, nitrate degrades into nitrite; think of nitrate as a time-release capsule for dosing nitrite into a long-curing product. That is why nitrate is used with meats that cure for a long time, such as dry-cured jamones or chorizos.
Here’s the crux of it: When working with either of these ingredients, treat them with respect and keep them well away from your other spices to avoid confusion. A very small amount of either pure nitrite or nitrate can be lethal, which is why they are sold in diluted mixes and tinted pink.
Livro: Dry-Curing Pork de Hector Kent.
Few ingredients in our food are so ubiquitous yet so maligned as nitrates and nitrites. Commonly referred to as curing salt, and naturally occurring throughout the biological world, including in the human body, nitrates, nitrites, and their related nitrogen-based compounds are among the basic components of the world’s nutrient cycles (remember the nitrogen cycle from middle school?). They are critical for our world’s functioning ecosystem, and are essential for the safety of many dry-cured meats.
In dry-cured meats, nitrates, nitrites, and their intermediate compounds are responsible for the flavor, color, and, most important, safety of the meat, from the finest Spanish jamon to the lowly gas station meat stick. Regardless of all the other benefits, the fact that curing salt is 100 percent effective in preventing botulism is enough of a reason to include it in all of these recipes.
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To understand the effect nitrates and nitrites have on meat, it’s important to first distinguish between them, which may seem obvious, but most people mistakenly treat nitrates and nitrites as interchangeable. When added to meat, nitrites (NO2) immediately undergo a wide range of complex chemical reactions, which eventually convert the nitrite to nitric oxide (NO), leaving very little nitrite remaining in the meat. Nitrites influence color formation (giving cured meats their pink color), flavor formation (a ham doesn’t taste like roast pork), they reduce the risk of fat rancidity (which is just the oxidation of lipids over time, but is one of the reasons nitrites are so common in industrially produced foods), and, perhaps most important, they inhibit the bacterium that causes botulism, Clostridium botulinum.
In contrast with nitrite, when nitrate (NO3) is added to meat, it doesn’t immediately undergo any relevant chemical reactions; it is important in dry-curing for one key reason: Over time, Staphylococcus bacteria—which will naturally populate whole-muscle dry-curing, or are added through the starter culture in a salami—will populate your drying meat and produce the enzyme nitrate reductase, which slowly reduces nitrate into nitrite. This means nitrate is a reservoir of nitrite—providing a long-term supply of it for items that will be dried and aged for long periods of time, including most of the recipes in this book. The rate of conversion from nitrate to nitrite is variable, and giving an exact time for this conversion is impossible. Nitrate is never used on its own, only in conjunction with nitrite (Cure #2 has both types). Cure #1 and Cure #2 are not interchangeable, and products like Morton’s Sugar Cure are not a replacement or adequate substitute for either.
Livro: Olympia Provisions: Cured Meats and Tales from an American Charcuterie de Elias Cairo e Meredith Erickson.
Nitrate (NO3) and nitrite (NO2) are ionic compounds made up of the common elements nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O). Nitrate and nitrite are all around us—in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil in which we grow our vegetables. Nitrate is the more common of the two. We consume nitrate and transform it into nitrite; in fact, we produce 75 to 80 percent of all the nitrite in our bodies. The nitrite we consume in a normal diet turns into nitric oxide in the stomach, which serves a variety of natural functions in the body.
Sodium nitrate (NaNO3) and sodium nitrite (NaNO2), which are stable and readily available forms of nitrate and nitrite, are applied to meat to prevent pathogens from proliferating and for enhancing both color and flavor.
The pathogen we as meat makers are most concerned about is Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that causes botulism. Not only is it lethal, it is also heat resistant and acid tolerant, and can survive without oxygen. One thing that can hinder the growth of this pesky pathogen (among others) is nitrite. Long story short: adding nitrite to meat is a great way to guard against multiplying pathogens.
Nitrite also oxidizes when it comes into contact with oxygen, producing nitric oxide, which binds to the iron found in the myoglobin in meat, turning the meat that beautiful pink color that is often associated with cured meats. Nitrite also creates a flavor that is characteristic of cured meats.
In some of the recipes in this book, I add nitrate and nitrite in the form of curing salt #1 and curing salt #2 (commonly sold as Insta Cure #1 or #2, or Prague powder #1 or #2). Curing salt #1 is a mixture of sodium (regular salt) and nitrite. Curing salt #2 is a mixture of sodium, nitrate, and nitrite. Curing salt #1 is used more often in meat processing than curing salt #2 because it’s faster acting. Only nitrite can bond with iron in meat, which means curing salt #1—with its readily available nitrite—can start working right away. Conversely, the nitrate in curing salt #2 must oxidize one of its oxygen elements before it can bond to the iron in meat in the form of nitrite. We use curing salt #2 on longer curing products, for example Lomo, Coppa, and Salami (see chapter 6) (basically, fermented and/or dry-cured products).
With curing salt #2, sodium is the transport vessel that moves the nitrite to the myoglobin to start working right away. Once the meat is mixed with salt, it starts to pull moisture out of the meat. This moisture is called active water weight—that is, the water that is suspended in the meat. As soon as the nitrite comes into contact with the meat, it begins to work its magic: preserving the meat, killing any lurking botulism bacteria, and stopping oxidation from happening. But during this magic, sodium chloride from sea salt begins to affect nitrite and slowly but surely halts its productivity. In meats that need longer cures, a little back-up nitrate is needed, which is more resistant to sodium chloride. Nitrate is like the cleanup hitter—the Reggie Jackson of meat making—hitting all the salt spots that nitrite missed. The nitrate will take a bit of time to lose its extra oxygen element and turn into nitrite, bonding to the deeper myoglobin found in the meat. It works as a sleeper cell of sorts, plotting its attack against any pesky pathogens.
Curing salt is not always easy to find, especially in Europe. A good resource is SausageMaker.com, a one-stop shop for curing salt and everything else your meat-making heart desires.
Nitrite has definitely caught a bad rap. In the 1960s, we had a bacon and ham boom, and the meat makers of the era tried to fill the demand fast. They pumped an ungodly amount of nitrite into their meat so it would turn pink and develop its cured flavor as quickly as possible. This left way too much nitrite in the meat. And when you have a lot of excess nitrite in meat and then add high heat (for example, frying it in a hot pan), you can produce a poison called nitrosamine. This was found to be carcinogenic in large doses. What happened next is what I call the Fox News phenomenon—a fact or two ripped out of context for scare value. The FDA released a report saying that nitrite in large amounts is dangerous when cooked at high temperatures. What we heard was that all nitrite was dangerous.
Fast forward to today, and meat makers are taking advantage of nitrite fear by producing “naturally cured meat.” These producers use the nitrate found in vegetables for curing. News flash (real news this time): this nitrate is the exact same nitrate (and precursor to nitrite) it has always been. It’s just that we’re able to call a product “nitrite-free” due to a labeling loophole.
In the end, nitrite isn’t dangerous when used in proper amounts. At right are some facts that may put your mind at ease.
Nitrate and Nitrite Facts
FACT: Spinach, beets, lettuce, and cabbage all have at least 400 times more nitrate, pound for pound, than bacon and hot dogs.
FACT: Clostridium botulinum produces botulism, a paralytic illness. That’s bad. The nitrite in cured meat prevents Clostridium botulinum from growing. That’s good.
FACT: It is 100 percent illegal to cure meat without the addition of nitrite.
FACT: Nitrite gives cured meats a unique flavor, and preserves that beautiful pink tone. A smoked pig belly that doesn’t contain nitrite is an unappealing gray color. Add nitrite and you have bacon.
Livro: Professional Charcuterie: Sausage Making, Curing, Terrines, and Pates de John Kinsella.
Three main ingredients are used to cure sausages: sodium chloride, sodium nitrite, and sodium nitrate. Sodium chloride, or common salt, is used to flavor and preserve sausages. Sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate also preserve sausages and their rosy color, although the chemical action of these compounds is complex and not entirely understood. Necessary for safe and wholesome sausages, they are the industry standard and are accepted by the proper authorities. They are used in very small amounts and, to be fully safe and effective, they must be measured accurately.
Preserving compounds are sold premixed as “Prague powder” Prague powder #I contains salt and sodium nitrite in a ratio of 16 ounces salt to 1 ounce sodium nitrite. It is used in wet cures for products that will subsequently be smoked or canned. Prague powder #2 is the mixture to use for dry cures. It contains the same ratio of salt to sodium nitrite, but it has an additional ingredient, 0.0625 ounce of sodium nitrate. Its delayed-action cure makes it suitable for uncooked products such as salami and summer sausage, which need long drying and smoking times. The two Prague powders have different applications and are not interchangeable.
Livro: Salted and Cured: Savoring the Culture, Heritage, and Flavor of America’s Preserved Meats de Jeffrey Roberts.
Years ago a question arose about the use of nitrates and nitrites as preservation agents, and some advocates argued consumers should be aware the chemicals might cause cancer, even though cancer was only found in rats consuming very high doses in lab experiments. Since the mid-1990s most research shows the opposite and that “spinach, celery, beets, lettuce, and root vegetables are responsible for most of the dietary intake” of nitrates and nitrites for adults and do not pose a threat to health.
If cured salami and other cured meat contain synthetic nitrates and nitrites, federal law requires labeling as such. Today, for too many consumers, the words “nitrate” and “nitrite” convey a negative image and message, and they will not buy the meat. For example, Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s sell bacon and other cured meats labeled as “uncured” because they do not have “synthetic nitrates or nitrites,” meaning manufactured ones. However, many companies use celery salt that contains naturally occurring nitrates or nitrites, for exactly the same rationale as the use of synthetics: safety and color. The label for Trader Joe’s “Uncured Apple Smoked Bacon” proclaims in large print “No Nitrates* or Nitrites Added.” The asterisk highlights a small flag that states “except those naturally occurring in celery powder.” Given that most of us ingest more of these “naturally occurring” chemicals when we eat celery or other vegetables in our tuna salad, the bacon label may reassure consumers, but in my opinion, it misleads.
As a consumer I prefer transparent and truthful labels; nitrates and nitrites are the same whether from a box of synthetic chemicals or from “spinach, celery, beets, lettuce, and root vegetables.” Perhaps we can turn down the rhetorical heat and help educate consumers about nitrates and nitrites without frightening them. Now that I think about it, those vegetables would make a great salad with a hot cured or uncured bacon dressing!
Livro: The Art Of Charcuterie de The Culinary Institute of America e John Kowalski.
As well as removing moisture from the meat, nitrates and nitrites decompose to nitric oxide (NO) over time. This chemical slows the formation of rancid and sour fl avors, and creates a sharp flavoring in meat. Nitric oxide also binds with myoglobin in the muscle fi bers to maintain color and create the characteristic bright pink associ ated with cured meats. Nitrates break down to nitric oxide much slower than nitrites, as nitrates must fi rst be broken down into nitrites by naturally occurring bacteria in the meat. Thus, nitrates are typically used on foods that have a long curing and drying process. Sodium nitrate and nitrite have replaced potassium nitrate in the preserving process, and sodium nitrite is currently the primary salt used.
CONCERNS OVER THE USE OF NITRATE AND NITRITES
There are several concerns related to the use of nitrates and nitrites. The most prominent concern is the formation of nitrosamines via the binding of nitrates to amino acids, which are a by-product of the degradation of proteins. A study done in the 1970s showed that rats that were exposed to nitrosamines developed malignant tumors. As a result, the USDA and FDA placed restrictions on the amount of residual nitrates and nitrites on food to 200 parts per million (0.02 percent) or lower. However, it becomes exceptionally hard to deal with such small amounts of the ingredient. Thus,
premade mixtures are available for purchase: Insta Cure No. 1 and Insta Cure No. 2. Insta Cure No. 1 is a blend of 6 percent sodium nitrite and 94 percent sodium chloride (table salt). It has a distinctive pink color, which is why it is also known as Tinted Cure Mix (TCM). Insta Cure No. 2 is much like its counterpart, but contains
sodium nitrate instead of nitrite. As a further precaution, the FDA requires meat packers to use antioxidants such as ascorbic acid (vitamin C), citric acid, or a vitamin C
derivative (sodium ascorbate or sodium erythorbate) to further prevent the formation of nitrosamines.
Livro: Pure Charcuterie: The Craft and Poetry of Curing Meats at Home de Meredith Leigh.
Nitrite prevents toxicity of Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria that causes botulism. Most nitrite used in the kitchen is chemically derived, but it is a naturally occurring compound that can be found in the stems of leafy greens, particularly concentrated in the stalks of the celery plant. In addition to inhibiting botulism, nitrites also provide color to cured meat items. While nitrite has caused much controversy in the food world, it cannot be flatly condemned. Research has shown that a person would have to eat more than 14 pounds of cured meat in one sitting to become ill from nitrite poisoning, while a mere half microgram (or less) of botulism can kill them. As we explore methods for curing meat throughout this text, we will also explore situations in which nitrites can be excluded. I encourage skeptics to gain an understanding of nitrite in the environment and in our bodies, and to understand that having control over our own processing by making our own charcuterie allows us to avoid some of the pitfalls of this controversial ingredient.
For example, any time a product will be cooked to temperature (150°F for red meats, and 160°F for poultry) any botulism present in the product will be killed. This means that for warm or hot smoked charcuterie, or sausages poached to temperature, a nitrite is not necessary to ensure safety. People often include sodium nitrite in cooked charcuterie products anyway, because it is a color enhancer. However, when producing cured meats on the home scale, you have the freedom of making your own decision regarding the use of nitrite in cooked applications. Additionally, cooking products that are cured with nitrate produces nitrosamine, a known carcinogen. If you omit the nitrite because you know you will be cooking the product to temperature, you can avoid this concern.
When it comes to fermented meats that are never cooked, nitrates are a requirement for food safety. Whether you obtain the nitrate component from naturally derived celery juice extract or from commercially uniform curing salts, the nitrate and nitrite in these additives interact with microorganisms to render botulism inactive and prevent its toxicity in the product. I find it useful to remind people that these are metabolic interactions, wherein nitrite (which is itself only 4% sodium nitrite and 96% table salt) has been added in small quantities (just 4 oz. per 100 lb. of meat) and has then been changed by microorganisms. Nitrite in cured meats is metabolized into nitric oxide, and the trace amounts of this are then metabolized and used by your own body and the microorganisms your body hosts. To attempt to understand the dynamism of these interactions, and to claim to know their exact scientific effects on our health, is laughable, if you ask me. I say you are part of the nitrogen cycle, as you are of nature. I say absolutism of any form is annoying and egoist. Cure on, friends.
Natural sources of sodium nitrite are available, if you are more comfortable with this approach. The most common source is celery juice powder. It is added to the recipe similarly to a curing salt. Simply follow the instructions of the provider in terms of quantity. Because this is a natural source, there can be inconsistencies in the amount of nitrite contained in a measurable amount of product. Even so, I have used it with success, and know many salumists both commercial and home-based who use it with satisfaction.
Time plays in our favor, both because the ultimate symbiosis with beneficial microorganisms only comes when we allow them the time they need to do their work, and because the slow dehydration of meat is the ultimate determinant of shelf stability.