No nitrites added? Why some processed meats in Singapore contain them despite the claim

No nitrites added? Why some processed meats in Singapore contain them despite the claim Bacon, ham and sausages may be marketed as “nitrite-free” or “no nitrite added”, but the labels can get complicated. Talking Point tests nine of these products and gets dietary advice. SINGAPORE: Consumption of processed meat has been a long-standing public health concern. In 2015, the World Health Organization’s cancer agency found that eating 50g of processed meat daily increased the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 per cent. Then in January, researchers in France published their findings that higher exposure to some common food preservatives, including sodium nitrite, was associated with a greater risk of Type 2 diabetes. In Singapore, the prevalence of diabetes is already high, according to the latest National Population Health Survey. Against that backdrop, some processed meats are being marketed as nitrite-free alternatives. But the label “nitrite-free” or “no nitrites added” may not tell the whole story. When CNA’s Talking Point got nine “clean label” products tested — three samples of ham, bacon and sausage each — nitrite was detected in two hams and one sausage. One of the hams even contained more nitrite than a regular ham that was tested for comparison. The same was true of a pork wiener labelled as “no nitrite added”. What do these claims really mean? Why is nitrite used in processed meat in the first place? And how can nitrates or nitrites turn up in products that are not supposed to have any added, Talking Point asks. THE ROLE OF NITRITES One of the additives used to preserve meats is sodium nitrate, a white compound resembling salt that will be converted into sodium nitrite by bacteria, which is naturally present in meat. Sodium nitrite, also known as E250, is the active compound that inhibits the growth of Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that produces a toxin that can lead to serious illness and even death. The compound also gives cured meat its pink hue and keeps the colour stable for “several weeks to months”, said National University of Singapore lecturer and food chemist Yeo Hui Qi. Without nitrites, meat oxidises over time and gradually turns greyish or brown. Sodium nitrite also gives meat a saltier taste, “which consumers crave in their foods”, she noted. The thing is, nitrites can react with amino acids naturally present in meat to form nitrosamines, the “vast majority” of which are cancer-causing, she highlighted. These compounds form more quickly at higher temperatures, such as during grilling and frying. “They also form during digestion under acidic conditions,” she added. If nitrite helps to flavour processed meat, however, one question is whether consumers will taste a difference when it comes to the alternatives that are nitrite-free or have no added nitrites as claimed on their labels? To find out, Talking Point served members of the public the two versions of ham, bacon and sausages without telling them what the difference was. The taste test showed near equal results: 54 people preferred the regular meats, and 52 chose the clean-label alternatives. WHAT THE LABELS ARE SUPPOSED TO MEAN Given the taste test results, what is really in the clean-label processed meats? The nine pork and chicken products Talking Point sent to a laboratory for testing all contained varying levels of nitrate, although the tests could not really ascertain whether it was naturally occurring or not. WATCH: We tested ‘nitrite-free’ meat. Here’s what we found (22:58) Raw meat can contain a trace amount of nitrate, which is present in water or plant-based feed that livestock consume and is also part of the animal’s metabolic processes. Nanyang Polytechnic senior specialist Henry Leung cited a 2012 study that found natural nitrate present in some fresh pork samples (10 to 15 mg/kg) but no detectable residues in chicken. As for nitrite, the study did not detect any residues. In the lab tests done for Talking Point, the clean-label alternatives generally contained less nitrite than the regular processed meats that were also tested, except for one of the hams and the pork wiener. Jill’s Sausages, whose sausage it was, offered an explanation. Its sausages are flavoured with herbs and spices, including cumin, paprika, pepper and garlic powder, said founder Nicholas Lee. So some of the naturally occurring nitrates in plants could have been converted into nitrites after the ingredients were ground and mixed into the meat. “When I first got the email from you guys, it was quite a shock for me because I built this brand entirely on the premise that we don’t use any synthetic nitrates or nitrites,” Lee told programme host Steven Chia. To preserve its products, the company uses dried vinegar and polyphenols (plant-based compounds), together with vacuum sealing and refrigeration. Shelf-life tests show that its chilled products can last up to 60 days, he added. So, what does “no added nitrite” mean on a label? Chew Chon Mun, who teaches food legislation at Singapore Polytechnic, said it means nitrites are not intentionally added during the manufacturing process. It does not necessarily mean the product is devoid of nitrites, as naturally occurring nitrates in ingredients can convert into nitrites during processing or storage. “Nitrite-free”, meanwhile, refers to the final product and suggests that it contains no detectable nitrites or only a negligible amount. “(The claims) sound quite similar, but consumers may actually perceive them quite differently,” Chew said, adding that labels should make clear the use of any ingredients with naturally occurring nitrates, such as celery powder. The Singapore Food Agency also told Talking Point manufacturers need not declare nitrates or nitrites if they were not intentionally added as additives, although food labels must not be false or misleading. HOW MUCH IS CONSIDERED SAFE? Across the products tested, including regular processed meats, none exceeded Singapore’s legal limit for sodium nitrite: 125 mg/kg. The highest level recorded in Talking Point’s tests was 41.6 mg/kg. How much nitrite, however, is considered safe to consume each day? The Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives puts the acceptable daily intake at 0 to 0.07 mg/kg of body weight. This is the amount a person can consume daily over a lifetime without any toxic effects. For Chia, who weighs about 80 kg, that works out at 5.6 mg a day. Novi Health senior dietitian and health coach Diane Seto applied this to one of the ham samples, whose nitrite content was 22.02 mg/kg. A typical 50g serving, or two to three slices, contained around 1.1 mg, which was almost a fifth of Chia’s acceptable daily intake. The daily figure is not a target consumers should aim for, she stressed. “This is the safety limit. In fact, the less the better.” Nitrite is also only one consideration when it comes to managing one’s intake of processed meats. Other compounds present can contribute to health risks, she said, which is why she recommends eating even the lower-nitrite products sparingly. She said: “It’s about trying to reduce our intake as much as possible and not have it regularly in the diet.” Watch this episode of Talking Point here. The programme airs on Channel 5 on Thursdays at 9.30pm.