Worth knowing · Curing agent

Sodium nitrite

Also appears on labels as: sodium nitrite (to promote color retention), sodium metabisulfite (used as a preservative), sodium metabisulfite

A curing salt that keeps meat pink and blocks Clostridium botulinum growth.

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Where it comes from: Chemical manufacturing.
Why it's in the product: Color retention and botulism prevention in semi-moist and jerky-style treats.
Safety and toxicity: It has a real job: nitrite is why cured meat does not cause botulism. The tradeoff is that under heat, nitrite can form nitrosamines, some of which are carcinogenic, and processed meat's association with cancer in humans rests partly on this chemistry. Levels are legally capped.
Interactions and who should be careful: Sodium metabisulfite is a separate issue worth naming: sulfites destroy thiamine, and sulfite-preserved meat has caused thiamine deficiency in dogs. It is banned in meat intended to supply thiamine for that reason.

General reference, not veterinary advice. Dose, breed, and existing conditions change the answer, so talk to your vet before changing what your pet eats. Think we got this wrong? Tell us and we log it publicly.

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