The microbiological role of nitrite and nitrate

In unheated products nitrite, together with sodium chloride and the pH value, contributes to the selection of the bacteria which grow during storage. Nitrate per se is generally believed to serve only as a reservoir for nitrite, but the commercial use of nitrate-free cover brines in the Wiltshire bacon industry shows that such a reservoir is not always essential. Nitrate sometimes reduced the growth rate of bacteria in experimental Wiltshire collar bacon, but was of no benefit in back bacon. The clostridia occurring naturally in the bacon grew to higher numbers in collar cured without nitrate than that cured with nitrate. Clostridium botlinum (types A and B) was detected in these bacons, but did not grow in the bacon. In heated products the growth of surviving bacteria is controlled by the interaction of several factors including pH, sodium chloride, storage temperature and sodium nitrite or a substance derived from it upon heating. Further experiments are warranted to investigate the effects of dextrose, nitrate, ascorbate and polyphosphate.