All ingredients
E250

Sodium Nitrite

Also known as nitrite
HIGH RISK

A curing preservative in bacon, ham and hot dogs that gives processed meat its pink colour.

What it is

Used to cure meats, prevent botulism and fix the pink colour of bacon, ham and sausages.

Health concern

During high-heat cooking it can form nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic. Processed meat is classified by the WHO as a Group 1 carcinogen.

The verdict

A genuine red flag — limit processed cured meats and look for nitrite-free options.

Found in

0 analyzed products

No analyzed products contain this yet. Search a product on the home page and it'll appear here.