To all you bacon lovers, you can now make safe, pink bacon without nitrates and nitrites!

[Cajuneric]

Hello Eric.
I think this is what DougE was referring to in your first link:

" ...the firm's proprietary blend of natural compounds."

What compounds are secret???

LOL. Yeah. I figured. If he reads every link, especially the spanish one (Google Translate) he will uncover the information he wants. The product that is in question is the very specific product being tested in those studies. It even goes into what's in it (to a small degree). Obviously, the specific formulation isn't disclosed but the tests conducted with this product leave very room for doubt as to its effectiveness in cured meats. Hope it helps. Just made a nice batch of salami with it and looked amazing..

 

[Cajuneric]

Thanks for posting the link. Clears up a few things for me...now I understand the the USDA's stance on labeling.

Right!! What an eye opening read. All this time i thought it was shady marketing behind the tricky labeling. Now I know that it's the USDA guidelines. WOW

 

[indaswamp]

You can find it here: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2021-03/FPLIC_4b_Sausage_Operations.pdf

Good stuff....this is what interests me...from your link:

The most dominant polyphenol in sausages was kaempferol-3-O-glucoside followed by quercetin, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, catechin and syringic acid.

I am well versed in organic chemistry. I'm wondering if it is the polyphenols alone provide the protection, or if the presence of these specific compounds cause reactions in the meat in which some of the denatured protiens react with; or are catalyze by the polyphenols to create nitrate or nitrite within the salami???

I do know that over time, naturally some nitrate/nitrites are formed within proscuitto without the addition of NaNO2 or NaNO3. These natural nitrites forn the color of the ham from the breakdown of annomia within the ham.

 

[indaswamp]

Right!! What an eye opening read. All this time i thought it was shady marketing behind the tricky labeling. Now I know that it's the USDA guidelines. WOW

Indeed! That was my assessment as well!

 

[indaswamp]

So my next question (thinking out loud here) is what effect polyphenols have on the culture bacteria introduced into the meat paste for flavor forming and acid profile characteristics when making salami...

The ability of polyphenols to interact with bacterial cell wall components and the bacterial cell membrane can prevent and control biofilm formation, as well as inhibit microbial enzymes, interfere in protein regulation, and deprive bacterial cell enzymes of substrates and metal ions. Thus, polyphenols are candidate antimicrobial agents for use with meat and meat products. Commercially available polyphenols can decrease primary and secondary lipid peroxidation levels, inhibit lipoxygenase activity, improve meat color stability, minimize the degradation of salt-soluble myofibrillar protein and sulfhydryl groups, and retard bacterial growth.

https://www.researchgate.net/public...tion_Structures_Sources_and_Action_Mechanisms

 

[Simi Kay]

So my next question (thinking out loud here) is what effect polyphenols have on the culture bacteria introduced into the meat paste for flavor forming and acid profile characteristics when making salami...


https://www.researchgate.net/public...tion_Structures_Sources_and_Action_Mechanisms

Good question, I do not know the scientific answer to that, but I know from using it a lot, and hearing about other people using it that it does not affect the development of lactic acid-producing bacteria while fermenting. I hope that this is enough for you to know