Sodium Nitrate
The short version
A slow-acting curing agent that is gradually converted to nitrite by bacteria during long meat aging.
A curing salt that slowly turns into nitrite, which keeps cured meat safe and pink but can form nitrosamines — compounds linked to cancer. That trade-off is why we flag it.
Where it comes from
Mined as a natural deposit (Chile saltpeter) for centuries and later synthesized industrially. One of the earliest meat-curing agents known to humans.
How it's used
Used in dry-cured hams, prosciutto, and traditional sausages where a long curing time is needed. Bacterial action gradually reduces nitrate to nitrite.
Safety profile
ADI of 3.7 mg/kg body weight. The safety concerns mirror those of nitrite, since nitrate is converted to nitrite by oral and gut bacteria. Drinking water with high nitrate levels is regulated separately due to risk of infant methemoglobinemia.
Physical & chemical properties
Colorless crystalline solid, highly soluble in water. Stable in dry conditions; reduced to nitrite by Micrococcaceae and other bacteria during curing.
Regulation worldwide
Permitted in the EU and US for specific cured-meat applications. Maximum residual levels apply.
Educational information only. Not medical or dietary advice.