The end of the pink ham? France will reduce the use of nitrites in sausages

The National Assembly of France approved a bill that aims to gradually reduce the use of nitrites in cured meats and ordered a review of their possible health risks before the end of June.

Nitrite salts are widely used in cured meats such as ham, bacon, and sausage, extending the shelf life of processed meats and giving cooked ham its pink color.

However, the World Health Organization in 2015 classified processed meat as carcinogenic because curing – by adding nitrates, nitrites or smoking – can lead to the formation of potentially carcinogenic chemicals.

Proposed by a deputy from the MoDem party – which is part of President Emmanuel Macron’s ruling coalition – the new bill does not establish a total ban, but sets a timetable for reducing the use of nitrites from 2023.

The national health agency Anses will publish an article on the health risks of nitrites at the end of June, after which the government will have 12 months to chart a path to reduce or phase out the preservative.

The application of the new law would correspond to a new Government after the presidential elections in April.

Currently, 90% of sausages include nitrites, although some large companies such as Herta, owned by Nesltle, or Fleury Michon, are already experimenting with products without nitrites, said Fabien Castanier, director of the meat industry federation. curated FICT.

However, he said that the almost 300 small and medium-sized companies in the sector would find it difficult to manufacture their products without the use of nitrites, since the lack of the preservative would reduce the shelf life of the sausages and increase the risk of bacterial infection.