Sodium Nitrite

What's sodium nitrite?

This sodium salt is a slightly yellowish or white powder with almost no odor, which has a strong characteristic of preventing bacterial growth, mainly spore-forming bacteria, which is why it is used in the food industry as a preservative and as a color fixative in meat products.

Is sodium nitrite a preservative?

This compound with code E250 helps prevent the growth of bacteria in food, more specifically the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which is responsible for botulism. For this reason, its use as a food preservative is important.

How does sodium nitrite preserve food?

When the food begins its decomposition process, its pH decreases and therefore it becomes more acidic. In this case, the antimicrobial action of NaNO2 increases 100 times for each pH unit that decreases, generating an unstable medium for bacteria. For this reason, the use of this additive in cured products becomes evident.

How long does sodium nitrite last?

This product itself does not have an expiration date if kept in cool environments with temperatures no higher than 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit). However, at mySibi we recommend that you follow the manufacturer's recommendations and the expiration dates presented by them to maintain the preservative properties of these products.

What sodium nitrate used for?

In addition to being a great food preservative, in the industry it is also used in conjunction with sodium and potassium nitrates in order to create curing salts for sausages. In addition, it highlights the taste and smell of products derived from meat.