Liha töötlemine
In the 19th century, meat processors real- action was still thought to be mainly due to
ized that some salts preserved better than the salt (NaCl) concentration. Only in the last
others and also some were better at enhanc- two decades was light shed on the action of
ing and stabilizing the product’s red color. nitrite on flavor and preservation (Grever and
Saltpeter (KNO3) was recognized as the con- Ruiter 2001; EFSA 2003; Lücke 2008).
taminant of these “better” salts. The chemical Nitrite or nitrous acid formed as shown by
reactions behind it, however, remained the first equation in Figure 6.1, when reduced
unknown. Known for centuries for its oxida- by microbial action is able to sequester
tive power in gunpowder (carbon + KNO3), oxygen in a meat batter, chemically reacting
saltpeter was known as an oxidative in the reverse direction to form nitrate, thus
compound
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