What types of food and drink contain nitrates and nitrites?
Vegetables: Naturally occurring nitrates are primarily found in green leafy vegetables and root vegetables. Drinking Water: Nitrates in groundwater are caused by fertilizers, manure, animal feedlots, municipal wastewater, and septic systems. Cured Meats: Meat products such as ham, hot dogs, and bacon can be cured using the naturally occurring nitrates found in vegetables, or through the addition of chemical curing agents like sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite. Back to top Why are nitrates and nitrites used in meat products? • To give cured meat such as ham, bacon, and hot dogs their pink color • To prevent the growth of bacteria that can lead to food-borne illnesses such as Botulism • To preserve products so they can have a longer shelf-life. • To provide the distinctive cured flavor that we’re accustomed to in ham, bacon, and hot dogs. Back to top Do Applegate Farms products contain nitrates and nitrites? Applegate Farms does not add sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate to our meat produc
