Premium
THE FATE OF SODIUM NITRITE IN BACON
Author(s) -
WOOLFORD G.,
CASSENS R. G.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1977.tb12555.x
Subject(s) - nitrite , chemistry , sodium nitrite , sodium ascorbate , adipose tissue , nitrate , ascorbic acid , sodium nitrate , sodium , food science , biochemistry , dietary nitrate , chromatography , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry
Using 1 5 N‐labelled sodium nitrite cured pork bellies, with and without the addition of sodium ascorbate, we have attempted to trace the reaction pathways of nitrite in bacon. The depletion of nitrite, originahy at 156 ppm, was followed during the processing operation. Subsequent experiments during the storage of the 1 5 N labelled, sliced, vacuum packaged bacon showed the further depletion of nitrite in both the lean and adipose tissue portions, the lower nitrite levels being found in the bacon to which ascorbate had been added. The formation and depletion of nitrate was also noted. Analysis of the protein and lipid portions showed incorporation of 1 5 N into both. Mass spectral measurements showed that between 73 and 87% of the added 1 5 N remained in the bacon lean portion. The adipose portion contained much less 1 5 N, equivalent to between 20–25% of that added. A hot water extract of both lean and adipose fractions showed the presence of 1 5 N greater than the 1 5 N due to nitrite and nitrate. One effect of the addition of ascorbate was to force 1 5 N into water soluble compounds. Examination of connective tissue protein isolated from the adipose tissue portion showed incorporation of 1 5 N equivalent to 6 ppm NaNO 2 in bacon without ascorbate compared to 2.5 ppm for bacon with added ascorbate. 1 5 N data also showed incorporation of approximately 25% of the added nitrite into the muscle proteins of both bacons, and incorporation of 10% of the added nitrite into the lipid fraction of the adipose tissue.