What are nitrites used for in ham and dry sausage?

They preserve charcuterie by limiting the growth of Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium behind botulism, give meat its stable pink colour and contribute to its typical flavour. They are identified by the codes E249 to E252 (E250 and E252 are the most common).

Does classing charcuterie as "carcinogenic" mean the risk is high?

No. IARC Group 1 (2015) indicates that the evidence of a link with colourectal cancer is sufficient, not that the risk is high. Tobacco and asbestos are in the same group without being comparable. The IARC estimates that a daily 50 g portion increases the relative risk of colourectal cancer by about 18%, and that the individual risk remains low but rises with the amount eaten.

How much charcuterie should you not exceed?

The official French benchmark is no more than 150 g of charcuterie per week, or about three slices of white ham, as ANSES reiterated in its 2022 opinion. The World Cancer Research Fund recommends eating little, if any, processed meat. These are public health benchmarks, not individual medical advice.

Does "no added nitrite" mean no nitrite?

Not necessarily. Some manufacturers use vegetable extracts or vegetable broth, rich in nitrates that bacteria convert into nitrites. ANSES states that this is not a genuine alternative to nitrite additives, since the product still contains nitrates and nitrites. Read the ingredient list rather than the claim alone.

Nitrites in charcuterie: role, risks, nitrite-free?

What are nitrites used for in charcuterie?

Nitrites and nitrates arepreservativesused in cured products: ham, saucisson, lardons, sausages, pâtés. They are identified by the numbersE249(potassium nitrite),E250(sodium nitrite),E251(sodium nitrate) andE252(potassium nitrate). Nitrite is the active form: nitrate is converted into nitrite by bacteria during manufacture, and has no direct technological role in the meat.

They have a triple role:

Microbiological safety: nitrite limits the growth of *Clostridium botulinum*, the bacterium responsible for botulism, a rare but serious poisoning. It is the main reason for their use.
Colour: by reacting with the muscle's myoglobin, nitrite gives ham its stable pink or red hue. Without it, cooked meat turns grey.
Taste and preservation: it contributes to the typical flavour of cured products and slows fat oxidation, and therefore rancidity.

Its function is therefore not merely cosmetic, which sets it apart from a simple colourant. For general context, see our pilot articleAdditives: are they all a real danger?.

Why nitrosamines are discussed

The problem does not come from nitrite alone, but from what it can become. In the presence of amines (from meat proteins), nitrite can formN-nitroso compounds, including nitrosamines, known carcinogens. This reaction is promoted by heat: high-temperature cooking, such as frying or grilling, increases their formation, whereas antioxidants such as vitamin C or vitamin E reduce it.

These compounds can also form in the body after ingestion (so-called endogenous formation). The IARC notes that N-nitroso compounds are among the substances formed during meat processing, while stating that it is not yet well understood how processed meat increases cancer risk. Haem iron from meat is another lead being examined.

What the IARC's 2015 classification means

On 26 October 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a WHO agency, placedprocessed meatin theGroup 1, "carcinogenic to humans", on the basis of sufficient evidence that its consumption causescolourectal cancer. Red meat, for its part, is classed as "probably carcinogenic" (Group 2A).

This classification is often misunderstood. The IARC itself makes clear that Group 1 describes thestrength of the evidencethat an agent can cause cancer, not themagnitude of the risk. Tobacco and asbestos are also in Group 1, which does not mean they are as dangerous as processed meat, nor the reverse.

In numbers, an analysis of 10 studies estimated that each 50 g portion of processed meat eatenevery dayincreases the relative risk of colourectal cancer by about 18%. This is a relative increase, not an absolute risk of 18%. The IARC adds that individual risk remains low but rises with the amount eaten. Above all, this classification concerns processed meat as a whole, not nitrites alone.

What EFSA and ANSES concluded

In June 2017, EFSA re-evaluated nitrites (E249, E250) and nitrates (E251, E252). It set an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of0.07 mg per kilo of body weight per dayfor the nitrite ion, and kept that of3.7 mgfor the nitrate ion. It concluded that exposure from additives remained within the limit for most groups, with a slight possible exceedance in very exposed children, and that the share of nitrates coming from additives is small compared with other food sources.

In July 2022, ANSES confirmed anassociationbetween colourectal cancer risk and exposure to nitrites and nitrates, whether from processed meat or drinking water. For other cancers a risk is suspected, but current data do not allow a cause-and-effect conclusion. A few points from its opinion:

About two thirds of exposure tonitratescomes from plants (spinach, lettuce) and a quarter from water; additives in charcuterie account for less than 4%.
Fornitrites, more than half of exposure comes from charcuterie.
Nearly 99% of the French population is below the ADIs set by EFSA.
The agency recommends reducing exposure, but in a controlled way, so as not to increase foodborne infections (salmonella, listeria, botulism).

Maximum levels that have been lowered in Europe

Regulation (EU) 2023/2108, published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 9 October 2023, changed the rules applying to nitrites and nitrates (E249 to E252). It lowers the maximum levels permitted in charcuterie and other products (cheeses, fishery products) and tightens contaminant limits (lead, mercury, arsenic) in these additives, applicable from 29 October 2023. The new levels for meat-based products apply from9 October 2025, with possible sale of products already placed on the market until their use-by date.

Levels are now expressed as nitrite and nitrate ions, in line with EFSA's ADIs, rather than as sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate. Traditional charcuterie products have their own provisions. The exact values depend on the product category: the official text on EUR-Lex is authoritative.

How much charcuterie? Consumption benchmarks

In France, the official benchmark of the Programme national nutrition santé is tonot exceed 150 g of charcuterie per week, or about three slices of white ham, and 500 g of red meat. ANSES repeats this 150 g benchmark in its 2022 opinion. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) goes further in its general recommendation: eat little, if any, processed meat.

These figures show thatquantity and frequencymatter more than eating it once. They apply to all charcuterie, whether or not it contains added nitrites.

The "no nitrite" claim: what is it worth?

Some products state "no added nitrite" or "no preservatives". Some manufacturers then replace the additive withplant extractsor vegetable broth (vegetables rich in nitrates, which bacteria convert into nitrite). ANSES is clear: these ingredients arenot a genuine alternative, since the product ultimately contains nitrates and nitrites, simply of plant origin.

In other words, "no added nitrite" generally means "no E249 to E252 in the additive list", not "no nitrite on the plate". Charcuterie without a nitrite additive does exist, but it then follows different processes (long curing, specific cooking) and requires other checks. We have found no EFSA evaluation of these plant-based substitutes.

Spotting nitrites on the label and in Yumiq

In the ingredient list, look for "preservative: sodium nitrite" or the codesE250andE252(the most common), as well as E249 and E251. Vegetable extracts (celery, radish, vegetable broth) carry no E number: read the ingredients carefully.

In Yumiq, the product page shows the number of additives detected and sorts them into harmless, to watch and high risk. The Yumiq-Score penalises controversial additives assessed by EFSA and ANSES, and the Yumiq star requires the absence of high-risk additives. Charcuterie is also a good example of a processed food: seeUltra-processed foods: how to recognise them and which to avoid.

What to remember

Nitrites protect against botulism and give colour: they have a genuine technical function.
The IARC classification measures the strength of the evidence, not the importance of the risk.
The link with colourectal cancer is established for processed meat, with an effect that increases with the amount eaten.
"No added nitrite" does not mean no nitrite: plant extracts contribute some too.
The simplest approach: keep to the 150 g per week benchmark and vary your diet. This article does not replace medical advice.

Nitrites in charcuterie