Science > Diet and Health

Defining “Natural Bacon” Labels

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CelticWarrior:
Let's talk about bacon! But, hold your enthusiasm because it's not the good stuff I want to discuss here. Rather the wrongfully labelled “natural” bacon set neatly on the grocery shelves across the country.

What gets to me is that companies like Schneiders have set out to label their meats as being “natural”. Like the Country Naturals Bacon they sell. And they've done a good job of covering up the fact that the meat is potenially cancer causing by saying it's “just the good stuff”. This label from Schneider’s Natural Bacon clearly shows only: Pork, water, sea salt, cane sugar, cultured celery extract, spice, smoke. No Preservatives, No Nitrites Added.
Companies such as Maple Leaf and Schneiders have created a new line of products that are full of “Just the good stuff”. Their marketing campaign and package labels would have you believe that these products only contain the best that nature has to offer, free from nitrites and preservatives . Because they care about your family’s health and well being.

Yeah, right.

Take a closer look at the ingredients. Cultured celery extract.

The celery powder is then cultured to convert them to nitrites... combine those nitrates/nitrites with the amines in your cured/salted/smoked meat and the end result isn’t so rosy. Nitrites can react with protein-rich foods, such as meat, and produce nitrosamines, which have been linked to cancer. When you eat nitrites, they can be converted into nitrosamines, which are potent cancer causing chemicals that have significant effects, particularly in children who tend to be the largest consumers of lunch meats and hot dogs.

Cultured Celery Extract: To replace the pure chemical nitrites of old, many organic meat producers have been substituting celery juice or a powdered extract. Turns out celery powder can be a volatile source of nitrites, so levels vary.

Various types of nitrates have been used in salted preserved meats for centuries. It’s the stuff that gives old meat that appetizing reddish hue instead of a ghoulish grey colour. But to be honest, whether they’re old-school, naturally sourced potassium nitrates and sodium nitrates or synthetic sodium nitrite, they can all turn into cancer-linked N-nitrosamines in our bellies.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is “currently reviewing the use of certain claims used in conjunction with meat products made with cultured/modified celery extract,” the agency said in an e-mail. But it’s unclear whether consumers are aware of the distinction between “natural” and made with “natural ingredients”. If the validity of the natural claim were to be established it would mean that the meat would infact have to come from a natural source and not from a deceptive claim that covers how these nitrites are snuck into people's food with a twist of words.

It's been said on the forum before: "They use the perservative chemicals because the chance of death from a bacteriological infection from tainted preserved meat is greater than the added chance of death from cancer." It seems there will never be a more trusted source to get your bacon than from local farmers who feed their pigs vegetables.

Sources
http://www.live-pure.com/2012/01/why-is-there-celery-in-my-bacon/
http://www.nowtoronto.com/columns/ecoholic.cfm?content=182153
http://m.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/new-health/health-news/ottawa-mulls-new-labelling-rules-for-natural-deli-meats/article2211884/?service=mobile

LQB:
The real natural bacon cure is salt, sugar (usually maple syrup), smoke, and time - as far as I can tell from various producers. The hogs should be pastured and organically supplemented (if necessary).

liffy:
In Norway there's a brand of bacon where the only other ingredient than pork is salt. The taste is definitely better than most the other types of bacon, so it's strange how most producers seem to think the sugar is a necessary ingredient.

CelticWarrior:

--- Quote from: LQB on April 11, 2012, 01:28:32 AM ---The real natural bacon cure is salt, sugar (usually maple syrup), smoke, and time - as far as I can tell from various producers. The hogs should be pastured and organically supplemented (if necessary).

--- End quote ---

I agree the pasturization is necessary but what's the deal with the maple syrup?


--- Quote from: liffy on April 11, 2012, 02:07:16 AM ---In Norway there's a brand of bacon where the only other ingredient than pork is salt. The taste is definitely better than most the other types of bacon, so it's strange how most producers seem to think the sugar is a necessary ingredient.

--- End quote ---

So yeah i'm inclined to think that sugar is not such a necessity afterall. Just salt would do quite well with me. I'd love to go into a grocery store's butcher section and find that they've got the same process of pastured raised, salted, smoked cured meat. And even at farmer's markets, not all of em seem to understand how important the pastured part is.

LQB:

--- Quote from: CelticWarrior on April 13, 2012, 04:18:05 AM ---
--- Quote from: LQB on April 11, 2012, 01:28:32 AM ---The real natural bacon cure is salt, sugar (usually maple syrup), smoke, and time - as far as I can tell from various producers. The hogs should be pastured and organically supplemented (if necessary).

--- End quote ---

I agree the pasturization is necessary but what's the deal with the maple syrup?


--- Quote from: liffy on April 11, 2012, 02:07:16 AM ---In Norway there's a brand of bacon where the only other ingredient than pork is salt. The taste is definitely better than most the other types of bacon, so it's strange how most producers seem to think the sugar is a necessary ingredient.

--- End quote ---

So yeah i'm inclined to think that sugar is not such a necessity afterall. Just salt would do quite well with me. I'd love to go into a grocery store's butcher section and find that they've got the same process of pastured raised, salted, smoked cured meat. And even at farmer's markets, not all of em seem to understand how important the pastured part is.

--- End quote ---
There are a few that just use salt and smoke. Most farmers do not actually perform the curing - they send out the meat to processors - it depends on the processors, not the farmers. For example, in my area, all of the local processors use nitates/nitrite for curing and MSG in their sausage.

I think the maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness that compliments the salt and smoke. But if you're doing the paleo/low carb, even a little sweetness goes a long way - maybe too far. To me, the bigger issue is pasture raised and no GMO supplements.

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