Why Is Sodium Nitrate Allowed To Be Used As A Food Additive?

Why Is Sodium Nitrate Allowed To Be Used As A Food Additive? Sodium nitrate (NaNO3) is a food preservative used for meat. … This works because bacteria are tiny organisms that require, among other things, moisture, oxygen and food. Take away one of these things and they die. One special property of sodium nitrite is

How Bad Is Sodium Nitrite For You?

How Bad Is Sodium Nitrite For You? The preservative sodium nitrite fights harmful bacteria in ham, salami and other processed and cured meats and also lends them their pink coloration. However, under certain conditions in the human body, nitrite can damage cells and also morph into molecules that cause cancer. How much nitrate is toxic