Liha töötlemine
by adding salt (ca. 3%) to a minced or com- (load +2) to nitrate (load +5) mainly occur.
minuted meat plus fat batter without adding Figures 6.1 and 6.2 show the changes in
water. The fermentation (which lowers nitrous acid occurring in meat systems. After
pH) and drying process (which enhances nitrous acid is formed from nitrite in an
the salt concentration to 3.5–5%) make the acidic environment, it can form its anhydride
product shelf stable, often without refrigera- (N2O3), which is in equilibrium with the
tion. The swollen protein structures also oxides NO and NO2. NO reacts with myoglo-
“glue” the particles together at cool room or bin or amino acids like cystein, or with glu-
ambient temperatures and keep the products tathione, whereas NO2 reacts with water,
sliceable. forming again one molecule of nitrous acid
annaabi.ee 
