E250
Sodium nitrite
Preservative
What it is
Used in cured meats such as bacon and ham. It controls the bacteria that cause botulism and produces the characteristic pink colour.
What it does
Preservative
Slows spoilage caused by micro-organisms, so food stays safe for longer.
Regulatory position
European Union
Authorised for use in food
Permitted only in specified cured meat and fish categories, at limits set in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008.
Authorisation in one country says nothing about another, and the absence of a record here is not evidence either way. Where precision matters, follow the citation to the regulation itself.
Found in 2 products in the FoodSignal database.