Substituição parcial/total dos aditivos alimentares nitrato e nitrito por fontes vegetais e tecnologias de processamento em salsichas

Abstract

Cured meat products are commonly seen as harmful to health by consumers due to their high content of fat, sodium, and synthetic additives. In their composition, there is the addition of curing salts, known as nitrate and nitrite. Curing salts can be defined as food additives, applied in meat products to provide effects on color, flavor, and odor, as well as to maintain the microbiological quality of the product. Studies exploring potential replacements and reductions in the applicability of these salts in cured meat products have been developed, because of research indicating the potential carcinogenic effect in humans resulting from the ingestion of these products. The growing consumer demand for food containing natural/vegetable additives is related to health risk concerns associated with the consumption of these curing salts, where the challenge for the meat industry is to offer effective alternatives that reduce residual nitrite, from partial or total replacements of these additives by vegetable sources and processing technologies. This literature review brings possible alternatives to replace nitrate and nitrite in the manufacture of cured meat products, specifically in sausages.