Nitrite and nitrate: Great influences on colouring and shelf life

When added to meat products, nitrite and nitrate play very important roles in colouring meat, but they also significantly influence the shelf life of meat products. In cooked products, where fast colouring is required, nitride plays an important role, but in cured and fermented products, like raw hams and dry fermented sausages, nitrate is more important then nitride. The colouring and curing process of raw fermented products, where nitrate is added, is slower and takes more time during pr