Sodium nitrite can have chemical reactions that create secondary chemicals... Not knowing what effect dissolving in apple juice will have on it... not knowing what chemicals are in apple juice.... I'm just saying it's not something I would do..... Someone, somewhere figured dissolving in a salt and sugar solution was safe to cure meats... Anything else is WAY above my pay grade...
Please feel free to do what ever you think will enhance your bacon.....
[h2]Chemical reactions[
edit][/h2]
In the laboratory, sodium nitrite can be used to destroy excess
sodium azide.[sup]
[3][/sup][sup]
[4][/sup]
2 NaN[sub]3[/sub] + 2 Na NO[sub]2[/sub] + 2 H[sup]+[/sup] → 3 N[sub]2[/sub] + 2 NO + 2 Na[sup]+[/sup] + 2 H[sub]2[/sub]O
Above 330 °C sodium nitrite decomposes (in air) to
sodium oxide,
nitrogen(II) oxide and
nitrogen dioxide.[sup]
[5][/sup]
2 NaNO[sub]2[/sub] → Na[sub]2[/sub]O + NO + NO[sub]2[/sub]
Sodium nitrite can also be used in the production of
nitrous acid via
sulfuric acid. This reaction first yields
nitrous acid and
sodium sulfate:
2NaNO
2 + H
2SO
4 → 2HNO
2 + Na
2SO
4
The nitrous acid then, under normal conditions, decomposes:
2HNO2 → NO
2 + NO + H
2O
The nitrogen dioxide of the prior decomposition is then routed through a
condensor or
fractional distillation apparatus to react with water and yield nitric acid:
2NO
2 + H
2O → HNO
3 + HNO
2
[h2]Uses[
edit][/h2][h3]Industrial chemistry[
edit][/h3]
The main use of sodium nitrite is for the industrial production of organonitrogen compounds. It is a reagent for conversion of
amines into
diazo compounds, which are key precursors to many dyes, such as
diazo dyes.
Nitroso compounds are produced from nitrites. These are used in the rubber industry.[sup]
[2][/sup]
Other applications include uses in
photography. It may also be used as an
electrolyte in
electrochemical grinding manufacturing processes, typically diluted to about 10% concentration in water. It is used in a variety of metallurgical applications, for phosphatizing and detinning.
Sodium nitrite is an effective
corrosion inhibitor and is used as an additive in industrial greases,[sup]
[6][/sup] as an aqueous solution in closed loop cooling systems, and in a molten state as a heat transfer medium.[sup]
[7][/sup]
[h3]Medicine[
edit][/h3]
Sodium nitrite can be used as part of an intravenous mixture with sodium thiosulfate to treat
cyanide poisoning.
It is on the
World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, a list of the most important medications needed in a basic
health system.[sup]
[8][/sup]
There is also research to investigate its applicability towards treatments for
heart attacks,
brain aneurysms,
pulmonary hypertension in infants, and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.[sup]
[9][/sup][sup]
[10][/sup]
[h3]Food additive[
edit][/h3]
In the early 1900s, irregular
curing was commonplace. This led to further research surrounding the use of sodium nitrite as an
additive in
food, standardizing the amount present in foods to minimize the amount needed while maximizing its
food additive role.[sup]
[11][/sup] Through this research, sodium nitrite has been found to inhibit growth of disease-causing
microorganisms; give taste and color to the meat; and inhibit lipid oxidation that leads to rancidity.[sup]
[11][/sup] The ability of sodium nitrite to address the above-mentioned issues has led to production of
meat with improved
food safety, extended storage life and improving desirable color/taste.[sup]
[11][/sup] In the European Union it may be used only as a mixture with salt containing at most 0.0625% sodium nitrite. It has the
E number E250.
Potassium nitrite (E249) is used in the same way. It is approved for usage in the
EU,[sup]
[12][/sup] USA[sup]
[13][/sup] and Australia and New Zealand.[sup]
[14][/sup]
[h4]Inhibition of microbial growth[
edit][/h4]
Sodium nitrite is well known for its role in inhibiting the growth of
Clostridium botulinum spores in refrigerated meats.[sup]
[15][/sup] The mechanism for this activity results from the inhibition of
iron-sulfur clusters essential to energy metabolism of
Clostridium botulinum.[sup]
[15][/sup] However, sodium nitrite has had varying degrees of effectiveness for controlling growth of other spoilage or disease causing
microorganisms.[sup]
[11][/sup] Even though the inhibitory mechanisms for sodium nitrite are not well known, its effectiveness depends on several factors including residual nitrite level,
pH, salt concentration, reductants present and
iron content.[sup]
[16][/sup] Furthermore, the type of
bacteria also affects sodium nitrites effectiveness.[sup]
[16][/sup] It is generally agreed upon that sodium nitrite is not considered effective for controlling
gram-negative enteric pathogens such as
Salmonella and
Escherichia coli.[sup]
[16][/sup]
[h4]Taste and color[
edit][/h4]
The
appearance and
taste of meat is an important component of consumer acceptance.[sup]
[11][/sup] Sodium nitrite is responsible for the desirable red color (or shaded pink) of meat.[sup]
[11][/sup] Very little nitrite is needed to induce this change.[sup]
[11][/sup] It has been reported that as little as 2 to 14 parts per million (ppm), is needed to induce this desirable
color change.[sup]
[16][/sup] However, to extend the life-span of this color change significantly higher levels are needed.[sup]
[16][/sup] The mechanism responsible for this color change is the formation of nitrosylating agents by
nitrite, which has the ability to transfer
nitric oxide that subsequently reacts with
myoglobin to produce the
cured meat color.[sup]
[16][/sup] The unique taste associated with cured meat is also affected by the addition of sodium nitrite.[sup]
[11][/sup] However, the mechanism underlying this change in taste is still not fully understood.[sup]
[16][/sup]
[h4]Inhibition of lipid oxidation[
edit][/h4]
Sodium nitrite is also able to effectively delay the development of
oxidative rancidity.[sup]
[16][/sup]
Lipid oxidation is considered to be a major reason for the deterioration of quality of meat products (
rancidity and unappetizing flavors).[sup]
[16][/sup] Sodium nitrite acts as an
antioxidant in a mechanism similar to the one responsible for the coloring affect.[sup]
[16][/sup] Nitrite reacts with
heme proteins and metal ions, neutralizing
free radicals by
nitric oxide (one of its byproducts).[sup]
[16][/sup] Neutralization of these
free radicals terminates the cycle of
lipid oxidation that leads to
rancidity.[sup]
[16][/sup]
[h2]Toxicity[
edit][/h2]
While this chemical will prevent the growth of bacteria, it can be toxic in high amounts for animals and humans. Sodium nitrite's
LD[sub]50[/sub] in rats is 180 mg/kg and its human
LD[sub]Lo[/sub] is 71 mg/kg, meaning a 65 kg person would likely have to consume at least 4.6
g to result in death.[sup]
[17][/sup] To prevent toxicity, sodium nitrite (blended with salt) sold as a food additive is dyed bright pink to avoid mistaking it for plain salt or sugar. Nitrites are not naturally occurring in vegetables in significant quantities.[sup]
[18][/sup] However, nitrites are found in commercially available vegetables and a study in an intensive agricultural area in northern Portugal found residual nitrite levels in 34 vegetable samples, including different varieties of cabbage, lettuce, spinach, parsley and turnips ranged between 1.1 and 57 mg/kg, e.g. white cauliflower (3.49 mg/kg) and green cauliflower (1.47 mg/kg).[sup]
[19][/sup][sup]
[20][/sup] Boiling vegetables lowers nitrate but not nitrite.[sup]
[19][/sup] Fresh meat contains 0.4-0.5 mg/kg nitrite and 4–7 mg/kg of nitrate (10–30 mg/kg nitrate in cured meats).[sup]
[18][/sup] The presence of nitrite in animal tissue is a consequence of metabolism of
nitric oxide, an important neurotransmitter.[sup]
[21][/sup] Nitric oxide can be created
de novo from
nitric oxide synthase utilizing
arginine or from ingested
nitrate or
nitrite.[sup]
[22][/sup] Most research on the negative effects of nitrites on humans predates the discovery of
nitric oxide's importance to human metabolism and human endogenous metabolism of nitrite.[sup][
citation needed][/sup]
[h3]Humane toxin for feral hogs/wild boar control[
edit][/h3]
Because of sodium nitrite's high level of toxicity to swine (
Sus scrofa) it is now being developed in Australia to control feral pigs and
wild boar.[sup]
[23][/sup][sup]
[24][/sup] The sodium nitrite induces
methemoglobinemia in swine, i.e., it reduces the amount of oxygen that is released from hemoglobin, so the animal will feel faint and pass out, and then die in a humane manner after first being rendered unconscious.[sup]
[25][/sup]
[h3]Nitrosamines[
edit][/h3]
A principal concern about sodium nitrite is the formation of
carcinogenic nitrosamines in meats containing sodium nitrite when meat is charred or overcooked. Such carcinogenic nitrosamines can also be formed from the reaction of nitrite with secondary amines under acidic conditions (such as occurs in the human stomach) as well as during the
curing process used to preserve meats. Dietary sources of nitrosamines include US cured meats preserved with sodium nitrite as well as the dried salted fish eaten in Japan. In the 1920s, a significant change in US meat curing practices resulted in a 69% decrease in average nitrite content. This event preceded the beginning of a dramatic decline in gastric cancer mortality.[sup]
[26][/sup] About 1970, it was found that
ascorbic acid (vitamin C), an
antioxidant, inhibits nitrosamine formation.[sup]
[27][/sup] Consequently, the addition of at least 550 ppm of ascorbic acid is required in meats manufactured in the United States. Manufacturers sometimes instead use
erythorbic acid, a cheaper but equally effective
isomer of ascorbic acid. Additionally, manufacturers may include
alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) to further inhibit nitrosamine production. Alpha-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, and erythorbic acid all inhibit nitrosamine production by their oxidation-reduction properties. Ascorbic acid, for example, forms
dehydroascorbic acid when
oxidized, which when in the presence of
nitrous anhydride, a potent nitrosating agent formed from sodium nitrate, reduces the nitrous anhydride into
nitric oxide.[sup]
[28][/sup] Note that nitrous anhydride does not exist in vitro.[sup]
[29][/sup]
Sodium nitrite consumption has also been linked to the triggering of migraines in individuals who already suffer from them.[sup]
[30][/sup]
One study has found a correlation between highly frequent ingestion of meats cured with
pink salt and the
COPD form of
lung disease. The study's researchers suggest that the high amount of nitrites in the meats was responsible; however, the team did not prove the nitrite theory. Additionally, the study does not prove that nitrites or cured meat caused higher rates of COPD, merely a link. The researchers did adjust for many of COPD's risk factors, but they commented they cannot rule out all possible unmeasurable causes or risks for COPD.[sup]
[31][/sup][sup]
[32][/sup]
[h4]Mechanism of action[
edit][/h4]
Carcinogenic nitrosamines are formed when
amines that occur naturally in food react with sodium nitrite found in cured meat products.
R[sub]2[/sub]NH (amines) + NaNO[sub]2[/sub] (sodium nitrite) → R[sub]2[/sub]N-N=O (nitrosamine)
In the presence of acid (such as in the stomach) or heat (such as via cooking), nitrosamines are converted to
diazonium ions.
R[sub]2[/sub]N-N=O (nitrosamine) + (acid or heat) → R-N[sub]2[/sub][sup]+[/sup] (diazonium ion)
Certain nitrosamines such as
N-nitrosodimethylamine[sup]
[33][/sup] and
N-nitrosopyrrolidine[sup]
[34][/sup] form carbocations that react with biological
nucleophiles (such as DNA or an enzyme) in the cell.
R-N[sub]2[/sub][sup]+[/sup] (diazonium ion) → R[sup]+[/sup] (carbocation) + N[sub]2[/sub] (leaving group) + :Nu (biological nucleophiles) → R-Nu
If this
nucleophilic substitution reaction occurs at a crucial site in a biomolecule, it can disrupt normal cell functions, leading to cancer or
cell death.