What dual roles do Sodium Nitrite and Sodium Nitrate serve in cured meats like bacon?
Answer
Preventing *Clostridium botulinum* growth and providing characteristic color/flavor.
Sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate are essential components in curing processes for meats such as bacon, hot dogs, and deli slices. Their first critical function is microbiological safety; they actively work to prevent the proliferation of *Clostridium botulinum*, the dangerous bacterium responsible for causing botulism, a severe form of food poisoning. Secondly, these compounds are responsible for fixing the color, ensuring the meat retains the expected pinkish-red hue associated with cured products, and they contribute significantly to the characteristic cured flavor profile that consumers expect from these items.
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