Additives used in fermented meat products

1 Glucono-d-lactone. Chemical acidification of dried sausages is carried out by addition of glucono-8-lactone (GdL). In the presence of water, GdL is hydrolysed into gluconic acid, which is usually decomposed to lactic acid and acetic acid by the indigenous lactobacilli (Liicke and Hechelmann, 1987). 

GdL was introduced in the 1960s for cooked comminuted meat products as an accelerator for the development of cured colour. Later, the application was transferred to fermented sausage production (Acton and Dick, 1977). Normally, up to 0.5% GdL is used for the acidification (Liicke, 1986a). National regulations on permitted GdL levels vary from not being permitted in France to up to 1% allowed in American Genoa salami (Bacus, 1986). 

2 Nitrate and nitrite. Nitrate and nitrite are used as curing agents for fermented meat, and national legislation regulates the permitted amount. Nitrate is usually added at a level of 200-600 ppm, whereas the nitrite level seldom exceeds 150 ppm (Liicke, 1986a). 

In order to reach a sufficiently cured colour and aroma, 30-50 ppm and 20-40 ppm nitrite, respectively, is needed. Only in relation to inhibition of pathogenic bacteria are high nitrite levels of 80-150 ppm necessary. It should be noted that nitrate has no preservative effect at all (Wirth, 1991). 

Ascorbate is a strong reducing agent that is usually added at 300-600 ppm (Liicke, 1986a). In addition to creating a favourable reducing environment it also reacts with nitrite and forms a complex that then splits with the formation of nitric oxide (Mima, 1985). 

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