[Residual nitrite and nitrate content in French cooked hams and shoulders]

The test laboratory of the "Centre technique de la salaison, de la charcuterie et des conserves de viandes" has evaluated the nitrite and nitrate salts contents of 1 468 cooked hams and shoulders. 90,5 p. 100 of sample have a sodium nitrite content of less than 150 mg/kg. 81,5 p. 100 have a potassium nitrate content of less than 500 mg/kg. The measured contents show a wide scattering. The nitrite mean content is of 61 mg/kg with a standard deviation of 95. The nitrate mean content is of 292 mg/kg with a standard deviation of 382. There were no significant variations between the various categories of cooked hams and shoulders.