Consumers often malign conventional curing agents while concomitantly accepting the natural forms of the same constituents in numerous food products. This paradox ostensibly exceeds all other food-related controversies to date and likely contributes to the rapid expansion of meat products that utilize natural nitrate derivatives. While there is high demand for these products, a fundamental lack of understanding regarding the safety and chemical implications of curing agents, whether derived from synthetic or natural sources, continues to persist. This manuscript elucidates the variations among curing preparations with particular emphasis pertaining to the associated safety, chemical, and regulatory ramifications encompassing these product categories.
Keywords: cured meats; nitrate; nitrite; processed meat products; uncured.