DEFRA to Brussels: Ditch potentially ruinous nitrate ban
Sodium nitrite (E250) and potassium nitrate (E252) are widely used in cured meats to prevent the growth of pathogens such as clostridium botulinum, the bacterium responsible for botulism, and add flavour and colour.
However, the EC has set a deadline of December 31 to review nitrate use before contemplating a wholesale ban of these additives in organic food under EC Regulation 889/2008, a move opponents claim could decimate the UK organic bacon industry.
An industry source told FoodManufacture.co.uk that DEFRA recently returned a questionnaire sent by the EC to Member States, asking them to report on progress in research on the replacement on nitrates and nitrates in organic food.
No satisfactory alternatives
The source said DEFRA warned the EC that banning nitrates would result in organic operators moving out of the sector, while smaller artisanal producers would face ruin.
DEFRA said the only effective alternatives to nitrates for some purposes, such as the manufacture of dry-cure bacon, were sea- or vegetable-based cures, both of which risk violating European Food Safety Authority and UK upper limits for food salt content.
Other non-viable solutions reportedly cited by DEFRA involve using additives that would be unacceptable as components within organic food: sorbate and benzoate were cited as instances banned under UK law.
A DEFRA spokeswoman told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “DEFRA has been working with producers and technical experts to determine how the changes might affect UK operators and whether there are any feasible technological alternatives that could be used in place of nitrates and nitrites.
“From the work undertaken, no satisfactory alternatives suitable for use in organic products have been discovered that retain the pathogen prevention provided by the use of nitrates and nitrites as well as the flavour and colour characteristics required by consumers of cured meat products.
“DEFRA has raised its findings with the EC as part of its input into the review of the use of nitrates and nitrites in organic bacon and cured meats, and is pressing for authorisation to continue to use these substances as currently permitted.“
Ruin organic bacon industry
The department’s response will please the Soil Association and other industry bodies that are seeking to delay the implementation of EC Regulation 889/2008 indefinitely.
Provision Trade Federation (PTF) director general Clare Cheney said that such a delay was crucial: “Otherwise it will spell the end of the organic bacon industry in the UK; moreover, the absurd thing is that vegetable-based alternatives to nitrates are still, essentially, nitrates.”
Many UK producers believe that the preservatives are safe at current usage levels, and are essential to the taste, colour and shelf-life of English bacon.
Jonathan Rees from Graig Farm Organics, which produces organic cured meats for independent retailers and health food stores, said that a ban would “ruin an organic bacon industry in the UK that is booming”.
