Confusion about nitrate consumption persists

Preservative found in hot dogs, bacon, pepperoni

By Suzanne Laurent      [email protected]      June 02, 2013 2:00 AM

Many folks dusted off the grill last weekend and are ready for a summer of preparing meals outdoors.

A staple of the summer season for many is hot dogs and hamburgers. It’s also time to head out on vacations and indulge a little in sumptuous buffets that include other American favorites — bacon and sausages.

Over the last several years, there have been confusing messages to consumers about eating processed meats that have nitrites and nitrates.

Sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite are two food preservatives with very similar chemical formulas, but different properties in the body. Sodium nitrate helps prevent bacterial colonization of foods. Sodium nitrite is a strong oxidizing agent used as meat preservative.

While these compounds are added to meats like sausage, bacon and hot dogs, they are also found in natural sources. Nitrates are found in green vegetables and nitrites are also found in humans as a powerful antimicrobial agent. Nitrates are also found in some water supplies.

In the 1970s, there were studies that found, when cooked at high temperatures, nitrites and nitrates could form nitrosamines, which are cancer causing compounds.

“In the late 1970s, the USDA tried to ban sodium nitrite but was overridden by the meat industry,” said Dr. Angela Lambert, a naturopath and owner of Ancient Traditions in Portsmouth.

Lambert also pointed to a University of Hawaii study in 2005 that found processed meats increased the risk of pancreatic cancer by 67 percent.

“Colorectal cancer risk has been increased when linked to consumption of processed meats, particularly those containing sodium nitrite,” she said.

But, Dr. Aris Damianos, a gasterenterologist at Portsmouth Regional Hospital, said, “The studies are all over the map. … Of course, the less processed meats you eat, the better.”

Damainos said to really have any effect, dietary changes need to be made at a younger age.

“If you’re 60, say, the die has been cast,” he said. “The risk for gastric or colon cancer also includes hereditary and genetic factors. It also depends on other things like if the person is also a smoker.”

Damainos recommends a diet high in fruits and vegetables and high in fiber, with limited red meat and processed meats for optimum health.

“In general processed meats are fatty and this puts the heart at risk as well,” he said.

Alyssa Lavoie, a clinical registered dietitian at Portsmouth Regional Hospital, said she advises “moderation with everything.”

“I would advise against eating foods with nitrites and nitrates for pregnant women and very young children,” she said. “Nitrates may also cause a blood disorder in infants called methemoglobinemia. But, this would be found from nitrates in drinking water, not from eating processed meats.”

There are nitrite-free and nitrate-free products on the market. But, these products typically contain high amounts of nitrates obtained from ingredients like celery juice, which means they could contain as much as if not more than their traditional counterparts.

“A young child who never had a hot dog with nitrates added wouldn’t even know the difference in taste,” Lavoie said. “High-nitrate foods, in particular the processed meats like hot dogs, pepperoni, and sausage, are not healthy in general and limiting the intake of these items is important for heart health.”