The average person believes that the preservatives in meat products have no benefits and are very harmful to people. But when you get involved in the food industry like meat products, you have new insights. Let's take a look at what a preservative is.
Preservatives refer to substances that have a bacteriostatic effect and can inhibit the growth and development of microorganisms. Preservatives have a killing effect on microbial propagules and inhibit the development of spores into breeders. In order to ensure that the product is in the shelf life, the original flavor and nutrient composition do not change, certain measures must be taken to prevent the infection and reproduction of microorganisms. Practical science proves that the use of preservatives is one of the most economical, effective and simplest ways to achieve the above purposes.
There are the following kinds of preservatives commonly used in meat products: sodium nitrite, potassium sorbate, streptococcin lactate, sodium lactate, sodium diacetate, natamycin and other more than 30 kinds.
Sodium nitrite
Potassium sorbate
Today we will introduce one of the sodium nitrites (NaNO₂), which is an inorganic salt formed by ionization and ionization of nitrite ions and sodium. Sodium nitrite is easily deliquescible, easily soluble in water and liquid ammonia, its aqueous solution is alkaline, its pH is about 9, slightly soluble in ethanol, methanol, ether and other organic solvents. Sodium nitrite has a salty taste and is used to make fake table salt. Sodium nitrite exposure to air reacts with oxygen to form sodium nitrate. Sodium nitrite is widely used, like the pickled products we buy in markets or supermarkets, cooked beef, etc. It is recommended that individuals do not purchase and use this item to avoid personal and family harm after accidental ingestion.
The "Sanitary Standards for the Use of Food Additives" strictly stipulates the types, quality standards and dosage of preservatives. Eliminate the use of preservatives in large doses, put an end to the use of cheap but toxic side effects of preservatives, put an end to the use of spoiled live meat as sausages, in order not to affect the appearance of sausages and cover up the truth of spoilage, the use of formalin and other preservatives.
At the same time, under the specified measurement requirements, it can be used to be harmless to human health; it can be used without affecting the gastrointestinal flora; it can be used to use normal ingredients that can be degraded into food in the digestive tract; it can be used without affecting the use of drug antibiotics; and it can be used to heat treat food without producing harmful ingredients. China has so far approved only 32 food preservatives that are allowed.
Chinese scientists are studying the extraction of natural preservatives from plants, because natural preservatives are developing rapidly in the fields of food, medicine and other fields with its unique advantages of strong antibacterial properties, safety and non-toxicity, good thermal stability, and wide range of action. It can be expected that natural preservatives and compound preservatives will be the main development direction of preservatives in the future, and will surely replace chemical preservatives into our lives.