I’ve suffered digestive issues (bloating, discomfort, slightly constipated followed by the opposite) after eating sausage for most of my life. After a while, I figured out I could eat breakfast (fresh) sausage without the issues, and if I only ate a small amount of cured sausage, the issues were minor (when I was younger).

But things changed as I approached middle age. I developed major digestive issues, after approximately three years of medical tests and many drs, the third GI figured out I’m probably highly sensitive to certain food additives. Since he said there weren’t any tests to narrow down WHICH additives bothered my gut lining, for me to cook from scratch, then slowly challenge myself with my favorite commercial foods to see if I tolerated them.

Carrageenan was the absolute worst offender, followed by annatto (thrilled I can eat un-dyed cheeses again!), then something in sausage (assuming either nitrate or nitrite – remember I’ve been having slight issues with cured sausage for at least 20 years by now). But it seems my gut has become more sensitive from all the inflammation caused by carrageenan, for now it takes less annatto or nitrate/nitrites to trigger a “gut attack” (and now I’m finding some deli meats are injected with carrageenan, ack!)

My husband bought me an electric meat grinder so I could make fresh sausage from shoulders and butts, and no issues, yay!

After reading an article about how modern vs traditional curing methods leave behind different amounts of NO2 and/or NO3 at http://zmojournal.blogspot.com/2008/07/nitrate-cured-salami.html

I’m curious if I might tolerate traditionally cured sausage, since according to the article I pasted above: “The problem is when the cure is rushed, NO2 doesn’t disappear like it does when you cure traditionally over thirty days.” It would be great if I could tolerate traditionally cured sausages, for they’re much yummier than fresh. Does anyone know where there’s traditionally cured sausage in Houston (preferably the southern part – I’m a bit north of Ellington/Clear Lake region)?

Richard
Thank you for devoting a blog entry to this. Another reason not to use celery juice as a curing agent is the level of nitrates in celery juice is not consistent. That inconsistency can cause greater problems (including botulism poisoning) with obtaining a proper cure than the minuscule chance that you will get cancer.

I’m not sure that is valid and it is certainly possible to check nitrate levels in celery. My concern is not whether celery et. al. contain nitrates but whether celery with its natural nitrates react in the body the same way as isolated nitrate salts. We know that there is a difference between fruit and fructose isolates (whether in HFCS or crystalline fructose), between natural and synthetic vitamins and between whole herbs with their buffers and cofactors and isolated phyto nutrients. So it is possible that the celery juice which has more than nitrates in it is closer to real food and could be better in bacon if used in a well-designed recipe.

I too suffer from severe migraines (much like someone said above) and buying prepackaged/processed anything is going to mess me up for whatever reason. I used to think that nitrates messed me up, but have learned that if I’m going to eat bacon, I’m going to get the good stuff. Period.

The less something is processed the better ie buy bacon from the meat guy around the corner who makes it himself versus Trader Joe’s, you’ll support the little guy and eat something that hasn’t been sitting in a package for who knows how long!

Nitrates via the powder or celery, doesn’t matter. It all comes out in the wash.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090705215239.htm

The natural bacons do not cause an allergic reaction but the conventional bacons containing sodium nitrate do every time. As far as I know, sodium nitrate is not made from corn (one of the very few food additives that isn’t), but corn is involved somewhere in the production of it. Therefore, comparing sodium nitrate to celery powder is like comparing chocolate soy milk (with its 18 ingredients) to organic raw milk straight from the cow. There is a difference and it has nothing to do with marketing claims or misinformation.

BTW, apply this same wisdom I have provided for you to the MSG debate. Humans can be allergic to anything. How could you possibly think you have enough information to argue with someone about their level of sensitivity? MSG is usually made from GMO corn or soy using some pretty heinous manufacturing processed that most people would want to avoid if they knew anything about it.

http://www.dcscience.net/?p=1435

It addresses the major flaws in the methodologies of studies that detected an effect of nitrate/ite on human health, & aptly whacks readers over the head with the truths that: (a) correlation does NOT equal causation; (b) appropriate experimental control and randomisation are the only paths to determining causality.

There just isn’t evidence of a nitrate/ite effect.