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E251PreservativeModerate concern
Sodium Nitrate
In plain words
The short version
A slow-acting curing agent that is gradually converted to nitrite by bacteria during long meat aging.
Why we flag it amber
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.
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.
The detail
Educational information only. Not medical or dietary advice.