Sodium nitrate is an additive widely used in the food industry due to its preservative properties. As a rule, it serves as an ingredient in the process cooking cured meat such as ham, salami or chorizo. However, its safety has been questioned for many years.
The reason is that the presence of additives such as nitrites and nitrates in these products is usually associated with increased incidence of cancer. Thus, sodium nitrate or E-251 is postulated as one of those listed in the famous 2015 WHO verdict against processed meat, indicating their carcinogenicity.
In this context of additive doubts, some disturbing news has come to the fore increased suicide rate associated with sodium nitrate. It is implied that the consumption of foods containing sodium nitrate may have something to do with this terrible indicator. Is there really cause for concern?
Does this supplement increase suicide?
Sodium nitrate has multiple functions away from the food world. For example, it is used as a fertilizer, for refining gold, as well as in the production of cement and some types of gunpowder. Although this sounds strange, it does not necessarily mean that it is a toxic substance if we consume it through food. The key lies in the dose, and this is very important, as we will analyze later.
It is sodium nitrate, like many other compounds, that is extremely toxic to health when ingested in large doses, which is why it poses a potential hazard to people with suicidal thoughts. So much so that Amazon stopped advertising this product due to the dark intentions that this product could bring.
In particular, these concerns were collected in a text published by Journal of the Canadian Medical Association. However, some news reports distort this information by erroneously linking the consumption of products containing sodium nitrate with an increase in suicide rates. In the food world, sodium nitrate is used in very small and controlled amounts in the food we eat.
Sodium nitrate protects us from food poisoning
As we have seen, sodium nitrate supplement is a common ingredient in many industries, including the agri-food industry. Today the presence of sodium nitrate it’s almost irreplaceable for the production of raw smoked meat derivatives such as salami, ham or chorizo. The explanation for this lies in pathogenic bacteria. Clostridium botulinum.
Clostridium botulinum It is an anaerobic pathogenic bacterium, so it can live in an environment without oxygen. This makes him an ideal candidate for spoil banks that with insufficient heat treatment, you can see the reproduction of bacteria inside them. In this context, jars with scratches, bulges or bulges should be discarded as they contain many ballots with advanced Clostridium botulinum inside.
Secondly, Clostridium botulinum It is a common enemy of processed meats such as those mentioned above: ham, salami and chorizo. These products do not undergo heat treatment during its development, which excludes the presence of a pathogen Clostridium botulinum, but they are allowed to cure and dry under certain controlled conditions of humidity and temperature. In its preparation, salts such as sodium nitrate, a preservative that inhibits the growth of the aforementioned pathogenic bacteria, are used. Clostridium botulinum.
If this supplement is not used, bacteria Clostridium botulinum can multiply in meat derivatives and generate terrible botulinum toxin. Yes, you heard right: this is the same compound that gave Botox its name in the cosmetics world. Botulinum toxin is a highly paralyzing poison and can be fatal in very small doses if ingested. However, when applied to the skin in a controlled manner, it has very interesting aesthetic benefits. On the other hand, in the food realm, botulinum toxin is a real horror for the feet.
Supplements are safe at administered doses
All the supplements that we consume with food have gone through strict food safety control which guarantee its harmlessness in administered doses. Especially in the European Union, where we have a truly privileged food security situation.
Despite this, preservatives such as nitrites and nitrates have been in the spotlight for many years. It would be unwise for the future its use will be further restricted, as has happened with some recent additives such as titanium dioxide. In fact, some brands of sausages, such as ham, already boast that no preservatives such as nitrites and nitrates are used in their preparation. To offset the risks, hygiene and processing conditions must be impeccable to ensure the absence of pathogens.
This is not done because an immediate health hazard has been identified, but rather as Marketing strategy adapt to what consumers are asking for. This is something that, for better or worse, can also happen from time to time with certain legal decisions by European authorities. Many times hiding under the umbrella of risk prevention. That is, balancing the benefits of supplements with their small risks.
In short, with the development of science, it is possible to change the recommendations for the consumption of a substance or supplement. That’s what science is for, to tailor recommendations based on the latest available data. However, the suggestion that a widely consumed dietary supplement can increase suicide rates is not only sensational, it is false. It also represents real insult for those people who, unfortunately, live closely with such a situation.
Source: Hiper Textual
