| Sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite cures have been | | | | to rely on our own common sense. |
| used for hundreds (very possibly thousands) of years | | | | The first decision the home sausage maker needs to |
| in the production of cured meats and sausages. They | | | | make is whether or not to produce cured sausage at |
| are responsible for the signature pink coloration of | | | | all. There are many very good recipes for fresh |
| cured meat (think of ham) and contribute to the | | | | sausage varieties that don't call for nitrite cures, and If |
| distinctive flavor of cured products. | | | | you are overly concerned about possible health risks |
| Much more important though, is their role in preventing | | | | you may decide to refrain from making cured |
| a devastating form of food poisoning called botulism. | | | | sausages altogether. |
| Food-borne botulism is caused by a toxin produced | | | | If you make the choice to produce smoked and/or |
| from a particularly nasty bacteria called Clostridium | | | | cured products, there are some easy to follow |
| botulinum. This bacteria loves a moist, low oxygen | | | | guidelines to minimize any possible risks.o Use only |
| environment and prefers temperatures between 40 | | | | commercially available cures that are designed for |
| and 140 degrees F. That's exactly the environment we | | | | sausage making and meat curing. They have the |
| provide when we smoke sausage and meats in a | | | | minimum effective levels of nitrates and nitrites already |
| smoke house or hang dried sausage in a curing shed. | | | | formulated into them.o Always follow precisely the |
| It is appropriate to have concerns over nitrate/nitrite | | | | instructions provided with the the product. Not all |
| usage in sausage making and meat curing. After all, | | | | commercially available cures have exactly the same |
| there is evidence that the use of excess amounts of | | | | make up, and the amounts needed will vary.o Never |
| these compounds can lead to health risks, up to and | | | | use "saltpeter" as a curing agent. Its use was common |
| including, cancer. The rejoinder is that the FDA has | | | | practice in the past, but we now know that it is far |
| determined that there currently is no effective | | | | stronger than is necessary for curing meat. |
| substitute for nitrates and nitrites for preventing the | | | | It's really pretty straight forward. If you want to make |
| growth of botulism spores. | | | | cured and smoked sausage that is safe from the risk |
| In the United States, nitrite levels in commercially | | | | of botulism food poisoning, you need to use a nitrate |
| produced cured foods are currently as low as possible | | | | nitrite based curing agent. At this point in history, there |
| and are strictly regulated. When it comes to using | | | | is no known effective alternative. |
| cures in our home sausage kitchens though, We have | | | | |