Curing (food preservation)

Lore & Background

Curing processes were developed in antiquity to ensure food safety without knowledge of antibacterial agents. Dehydration was the earliest form of food curing. Many curing processes also involve smoking, spicing, cooking, or the addition of sugar, nitrate, and nitrite. Salt creates a solute-rich environment that draws water out of microorganisms, slowing their growth; a concentration of nearly 20% salt is required for this effect. Sugar, in forms such as honey, corn syrup solids, and maple syrup, alleviates the harsh flavor of salt and contributes to the growth of beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus.

Reader's Guide

Curing has been the dominant method of meat preservation for thousands of years, though modern developments like refrigeration and synthetic preservatives have begun to complement and supplant it. In most developed countries today, curing is mainly practiced for its cultural value and desirable impact on texture and taste, while in less-developed countries it remains key for production, transport, and availability of meat. The use of nitrites and nitrates, which extend shelf life, kill bacteria, and produce characteristic flavor and color, is controversial due to the potential formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines, N-nitrosamides, and nitrosyl-heme. Despite this, the meat industry considers nitrites irreplaceable for speeding up curing, improving color, and retarding Clostridium botulinum growth, though botulism is extremely rare. Products labeled 'uncured' or 'no nitrates or nitrites added' may use naturally occurring nitrites from celery, which Consumer Reports and the Center for Science in the Public Interest have argued provides a false sense of making a healthier choice.

Did You Know?

• Curing can be traced back to antiquity and was the primary method of preserving meat and fish until the late 19th century.
• The combination of table salt with nitrates or nitrites, called curing salt, is often dyed pink to distinguish it from table salt.