Sodium Nitrate Dangers

The chemical compound sodium nitrate (NaNO₃) is used as an ingredient in various industrial products. It is present in fertilizers, rocket propellants, smoke bombs, glass and pottery enamels, etc. Here, we are going to consider sodium nitrate as a common food additive. It is present in processed foods, especially processed meats. Does it cause cancer? Why the safety of this compound has been questioned? Here is an overview of sodium nitrate dangers.

Sodium Nitrate as a Food Additive

Use of NaNO₃ is common in food industry. It is commonly used as a food preservative. It comes in the form of white yellowish powder and looks like ordinary salt. Not only the freshness of the food but also the color of the food is preserved with the help of sodium nitrate. It is mainly used to preserve the red color of the meat or fish. It preserves the natural color of the meat even though it is cooked during processing. This chemical compound helps prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum. The bacteria when present in food can cause food poisoning leading to botulism. Botulism can result in muscular paralysis, and may eventually lead to respiratory failure and death. Sodium nitrate delays the process of food turning rancid. In spite of all these helpful properties, 'dangers of sodium nitrate' has always been a topic for fierce debate.

Dangers of Sodium Nitrate

Some studies suggested that excessive consumption of NaNO₃ through foods can lead to certain types of cancers like gastric cancer, oesophageal cancer, colorectal cancer, colon cancer, etc. This chemical compound may trigger migraine headaches in people with migraine history. Increased number of deaths due to Alzheimer's, diabetes and Parkinson's had been attributed to increased use of NaNO₃ in foods. Some researchers argue that sodium nitrate is responsible for damage to DNA and it is thus responsible for these diseases.

But according to some other researchers, sodium nitrate does not cause cancer. Sodium nitrate gets converted into sodium nitrite when it is used as a curing agent. Researchers say that both 'nitrate' and 'nitrite' do not increase the risk for cancer. In fact, this element is naturally present in various fruits, grains and vegetables, for example, spinach, carrot, etc. Everything that is grown in the soil, contains sodium nitrate. Nitrogen is present in the atmosphere of the earth and we breath it along with oxygen and carbon dioxide. When we eat fruits, grains and vegetables, our body also converts sodium nitrate into sodium nitrite. So the researchers concluded that nitrates and nitrites do not cause any harm.

Actually, researchers insist on eating food with sodium nitrate as it prevents the growth of bacteria and preserves the freshness of the food. Food preservation methods are based on the fact that bacteria require oxygen, moisture and food to grow. Food preservatives take away the moisture, stop the supply of oxygen to bacteria and thus kill them. But the botulism bacteria needs an oxygen-free environment to survive. When it comes with contact with oxygen, it dies! Therefore botulism bacteria can be present in canned, vacuum-packed foods, garlic or other foods stored in oil and improperly cured meats. NaNO₃ has the exceptional power to inhibit the growth of Clostridium botulinum.

As some scientists suspected that sodium nitrate can lead to cancer, it was a big shock. But actually, it was a conclusion of experiments carried on rats in the lab. No human cases were studied properly. Negative stories immediately receive a lot of media attention. When further studies showed that sodium nitrate is harmless, the facts were accepted by the National Academy of Sciences. The American Cancer Society also was happy with the conclusions drawn. But when the National Research Council announced that sodium nitrate does not increase the risk of cancer, it received very less media attention!

You might be perhaps surprised to know that NaNO₃ is also used to treat various serious medical conditions. It is used to lower the effects of dangerous poisons like cyanide and hydrogen sulfide. It is used to treat certain lung disorders in newborn babies as it promotes dilation of blood vessels. In a similar way, it is used as an intestinal relaxant.

While determining the benefits and side effects of any given substance, you need to go through the pros and cons, study reports thoroughly and then draw conclusions. More research is required to make people believe that they should not be afraid of dangers of sodium nitrate. For homemade recipes, you can always use natural preservatives like salt or sugar.