Curing salt

salt used in food preservation

Curing salt (or pink salt or Prague powder #1) is mixture of salt and sodium nitrate that is used to preserve or cure meats or in the making of sausages.[1] It contains 93.75% table salt and 6.25% sodium nitrite. The sodium nitrite in curing salt is used to stop the growth of Clostridium botulinum in order to prevent botulism.[2] Curing salt may be dyed pink preventing it from being confused with table salt.

Curing salt
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References

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  1. Ness, Carol (2009-09-25). "Going Whole Hog". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Communications Inc. Retrieved 2010-02-21.
  2. "Effect of curing salt and phosphate on the activity of porcine muscle proteases". Meat Science. 25 (4). Elsevier Science Ltd.: 241–249 1989. doi:10.1016/0309-1740(89)90042-9. PMID 22054673. Retrieved 2010-02-21. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)[permanent dead link]