Using similar detection method as Reinik et al. (2005), they
found the mean sodium nitrite and nitrate concentrations in ham
were 20.8 and 68 mg/kg, respectively. However in this study, the
nitrite concentration in ham averaged at 34.2 ± 5.6 mg/kg and
nitrate concentration was lower at 19.0 mg/kg (Table 2). Some
manufacturers add less nitrite but more nitrate as a nitrite reserve.
This may also explain the differences in the findings by Öztekin
et al. (2002), where the nitrite and nitrate contents in ham were
4.0 and 35.6 mg/kg, respectively.