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Nitrite free: Where does the truth end?   Cured meat products
are appearing on the market as 'naturally cured', 'no nitrite
added', 'without added nitrite' or even 'nitrite free' to
promote a health image to consumers. Industry expert Gerhard
Feiner believes such statements can be misleading.  Sodium
nitrite (E 250) is by far the most often applied additive in the
production of cured meat products in order to obtain the desired
curing colour. Sodium nitrite falls apart into Na+ and NO   -
ions and nitrogen (nitric) oxide (NO) is obtained out of NO   -
in a chemical reaction by nitrous acid (HNO   ) being the
intermediate substance. NO   reacts with myoglobin ultimately
forming the desired curing colour. Nitrite also has a major
impact in obtaining the specific "flavor" in cured meat products
where components, originating from nitrite, react with sulphuric
materials present in muscle tissue. Nitr