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. 2021 Apr 14;10(4):852.
doi: 10.3390/foods10040852.

New Insights into the Chemical Reactivity of Dry-Cured Fermented Sausages: Focus on Nitrosation, Nitrosylation and Oxidation

Aline Bonifacie  1   2 , Philippe Gatellier  1 , Aurélie Promeyrat  3 , Gilles Nassy  3 , Laurent Picgirard  4 , Valérie Scislowski  4 , Véronique Santé-Lhoutellier  1 , Laetitia Théron  1
Affiliations

New Insights into the Chemical Reactivity of Dry-Cured Fermented Sausages: Focus on Nitrosation, Nitrosylation and Oxidation

Aline Bonifacie et al. Foods. .

Abstract

Nitrite and nitrate are added to cured meat for their bacteriological, technological and sensorial properties. However, they are suspected to be involved in the formation of nitroso compounds (NOCs), such as potentially mutagenic nitrosamines, nitrosylheme and nitrosothiols. Controlling the sanitary and sensorial qualities of cured meat products by reducing these additives requires elucidating the mechanisms involved in the formation of NOCs. To this end, we studied the dose-response relationship of added sodium nitrite and/or sodium nitrate (0/0, 80/80, 0/200, and 120/120 ppm) on the formation of NOCs in dry cured fermented sausages. The results showed a basal heme iron nitrosylation in the absence of NaNO2/NaNO3 due to starter cultures. This reaction was promoted by the addition of NaNO2/NaNO3 in the other conditions. Reducing the dose to 80/80 ppm still limits lipid oxidation without the formation of non-volatile nitrosamines. Conversely, the addition of NO2/NO3 slightly increases protein oxidation through higher carbonyl content. The use of 80/80 ppm could be a means of reducing these additives in dry-cured fermented meat products.

Keywords: cured meat; dry-cured fermented sausage; nitrate; nitrite; nitrosamine; nitrosothiol; nitrosylheme; oxidation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Aurélie Promeyrat and Gilles Nassy were employed by the Institut Français du Porc (IFIP). Aline Bonifacie is co-affiliated with the Institut Français du Porc (IFIP) and INRAE. Philippe Gatellier, Laurent Picgirard, Valérie Scislowski, Véronique Santé-Lhoutellier and Laëtitia Théron declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Elaboration process of dry-cured fermented sausages.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effect of added doses of sodium nitrite and nitrate on the concentration of residual nitrite and residual nitrate in the cured and dry-cured fermented sausages. The rates of residual nitrite (in white) and residual nitrate (in grey) are expressed in ppm. Values are mean ± SEM of 6 independent determinations. Values without common superscripts, a, b, c for nitrite and x, y, z for nitrate, differ significantly (p < 0.01).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Effect of added doses of sodium nitrite and nitrate on the concentration of total free iron (A), nitrosylated heme iron and total heme iron (B) in dry-cured fermented sausages. The level of free iron, nitrosylated heme iron (in white) and total heme iron (in grey) are expressed in mM. Values are mean ± SEM of 6 independent determinations. Values without common superscripts, a, b for total free and heme iron and x, y, z for nitrosylated heme iron, differ significantly (p < 0.01).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Effect of added doses of sodium nitrite and nitrate on the concentration of nitrosation products, nitrosothiols and nitrosamines, in dry-cured fermented sausages. The level of nitrosothiols (in white) and nitrosamines (in grey) are expressed in ppm Values are mean ± SEM of 6 independent determinations. Values without common superscripts, a for nitrosothiols and x for nitrosamines, differ significantly (p < 0.01). ND = not detected.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Reactions involved in the oxidation of lipids and proteins in dry-cured fermented sausages. The oxidation reactions are represented by blue arrows; reaction between nitric oxide and lipoperoxides: Reaction (1); formation of aldehyde from lipoperoxides: Reaction (2); formation of TBARS: Reaction (3); formation of carbonyl from protein oxidation: Reaction (4); formation of Schiff base: Reaction (5); formation of carbonyl from dialdehydes and HNE: Reaction (6); lipid oxidation by ONOO−: Reaction (7); protein oxidation by ONOO−: Reaction (8); formation of peroxynitrite (ONOO−): Reaction (9). Reaction (8) (in bold) is favored in comparison with Reaction (7) (in dashes) because peroxynitrite oxidizes preferentially proteins more than lipids.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Effect of added doses of sodium nitrite and nitrate on the proteolysis index in dry-cured fermented sausages. The proteolysis index is expressed in µmoles of peptides/mg of proteins. Values are mean ± SEM of 6 independent determinations. Values without common superscripts, differ significantly (p < 0.01).
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