Community Chat

[Pezzie]

I wonder what the quality of the products will be?  For those who decide to take the plunge and order  please give us your feedback.

[Group 5 minus 1]

Where are there not preservatives?

[Bookplate]

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@Group 5 minus 1 wrote:

Where are there not preservatives?

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Applegate Farms produces uncured cold cut without antibiotics, nitrites or nitrates.  You can find some similar safer alternatives at health food stores, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's etc.  Not cheap though.

[Zhills]

I have found that Amazon's own brand goods are good quality.  

Sometimes it is better than name brands!  Less preservatives!

[Marp]

Excerpt from:  consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/is-uncured-bacon-better-for-you-a1351961696/

Although the article references bacon the information applies to all cured/uncured meat.

Cured vs. Uncured Bacon

The truth is there is little practical difference between cured and uncured bacon in terms of health. Both are cured in the true sense of the word, meaning they are preserved.

The use of the labels “cured” and “uncured” on processed meats results from Department of Agriculture labeling regulations. To be called cured, the meat must be processed with synthetic nitrites or nitrates. (You’ll see types of them, such as potassium nitrite or sodium nitrite, in the products’ ingredient list.)

Without these compounds, meat would spoil. “Nitrite is especially important because it has inhibitory action against microorganisms and specifically against spores of Clostridium botulinum [which cause botulism], should they be present,” says Jeff J. Sindelar, PhD, a meat science professor and extension meat specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Nitrites and nitrates can also form from natural sources, such as celery salt, powder, or juice, and these can also be used to cure meat. Because they aren’t synthetic, the USDA requires meat processed with them to be labeled “uncured” and “no nitrates or nitrites added.” It’s a technical detail; the chemical composition of these curing agents are exactly the same. “Nitrite is nitrite, regardless of source,” Sindelar says.

And, as CR’s 2019 tests of deli meats found, “uncured” meats contain similar amounts of nitrites and nitrates as “cured” products.

“When people see ‘uncured’ and ‘no nitrates/nitrites added’ on a label, they believe the meat is healthier,” says Amy Keating, RD, a CR nutritionist. “But that’s not the case.” Eliminating the confusing labeling rules would help. In 2020, the USDA said it planned to propose prohibiting these two terms on meats that have been processed with any form of nitrates or nitrites, however it hasn’t yet done so.

[SilleeMee]

I won't eat cured, smoked or any kind of processed meats. Just not a healthy choice.