The effect of nitrate and nitrite on Salmonella is a controversial issue.
Tompkin (2005), in a review on the survival of Salmonella in different
products, concluded that nitrite has little effect for controlling Gramnegative
enteric pathogens in commercially prepared foods. Likewise,
Jay (2000) reported that nitrate and nitrite are generally ineffective
against Enterobacteriaceae, including salmonellae, and that the effects
noted in cured and in vacuum-packaged meats are probably caused by
the interaction of nitrite with other environmental parameters rather
than to nitrite alone. On the contrary, Gill and Holley (2003) observed
an inhibitory effect of nitrite alone or combined with salt (180 ppm
and 2.7%, respectively) on S. Typhimurium grown in nutrient broth at
24 °C. In the minced meat samples analyzed in the present study, a
slight inhibition by nitrite was observed at 10 °C.