The World Health Organization classified processed meats containing nitrites as Group 1 carcinogens back in 2015. That’s the same category as tobacco, asbestos, and arsenic. Yet most New Zealanders are still putting this stuff in their kids’ lunchboxes every day without knowing it.
We’re talking about your everyday deli ham, bacon, salami, prosciutto, chorizo, and yes, even that expensive organic free-range stuff from the fancy butcher. If it’s got Preservative 250 (sodium nitrite) in the ingredients list, it’s classified as a known carcinogen.
Why Nitrites Cause Cancer
When nitrites combine with proteins in meat and get exposed to heat or stomach acid, they form compounds called nitrosamines. These are what damage your DNA and increase your risk of colorectal cancer. Multiple large studies have shown that eating just 50 grams of processed meat daily – that’s about two slices of ham – increases your colorectal cancer risk by 18-20%.
The nitrites are added during curing to prevent botulism, maintain that pink colour, and extend shelf life. Without them, cured meat would look brown and have a shorter use-by date. But that bright pink colour you’re used to seeing? That’s literally the chemical preservative doing its work.
The “Nitrate-Free” Marketing Scam
Here’s where it gets dodgy. Many products labelled “nitrate-free,” “uncured,” or “no nitrites added” are using celery powder or celery juice instead of synthetic sodium nitrite. Sounds healthier, right?
Wrong. Celery powder is naturally high in nitrates, which bacteria convert into nitrites during processing. Studies have shown these products often contain similar or even higher nitrite levels than conventionally cured meats. You’re getting the same compound, just from a “natural” source that lets manufacturers slap a clean label on the package.
The only way to know if bacon or ham is truly nitrite-free is to read the actual ingredients list. If you see Preservative 250, sodium nitrite, or celery powder, it’s got nitrites. Full stop.
What Actually Nitrite-Free Looks Like
Real nitrate-free bacon is cured with just salt, sugar, and herbs like sage or rosemary. That’s it. And here’s the visual tell – it looks brown, not pink. If your bacon is that bright pink colour, it’s been treated with nitrites.
This isn’t some new health food trend. This is how bacon was made for centuries before food manufacturers figured out they could extend shelf life and maintain that appealing pink colour with chemical preservatives.
In New Zealand, Woody’s Free range make a nitrite-free bacon cured only with sea salt, brown sugar, and sage. You’ll find it at specialty butchers and through organic food delivery services like Bliss Box. It costs a bit more and has a shorter shelf life, but that’s the trade-off for not eating a Group 1 carcinogen.
What About Free-Range or Organic?
Free-range and organic certifications address animal welfare, antibiotic use, and farming practices. They’re important for different reasons. But they don’t change the cancer risk from nitrite-cured meat.
You can have beautiful free-range pork from pigs that lived outdoors their entire lives, but if that pork is cured with Preservative 250, it’s still a Group 1 carcinogen. The classification is about the processing method, not the quality of the animal or how it was raised.
Organic pork is rare in New Zealand – letting pigs eat 100% organic feed costs a fortune. And even when you find it, organic standards internationally allow reduced levels of nitrites in processed meat. They don’t always ban nitrites outright.
The only way to know for certain is to read the actual ingredients list. If it says Preservative 250 or celery powder, it’s got nitrites. Full stop.
Does Cooking Method Matter?
Yes. Even with truly nitrite-free meat, cooking at high temperatures creates harmful compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This is why charred, blackened meat carries additional risk.
For bacon specifically, start it in a cold pan on low heat. Let the fat render slowly over 5-7 minutes until it’s translucent and pooling. Then you can increase to medium heat for a couple of minutes to get some browning without charring. You want gentle browning, not dark crispy edges or blackened bits.
This slower method also gives you better texture and taste. And since truly nitrite-free bacon doesn’t have that bright pink colour anyway, you don’t need high heat for appearance.
What We Do at Home
Last year, our family switched from buying hams, salamis, and prosciutto to stocking up on nitrate-free bacon and making our own roast beef for sandwiches. We buy a month’s worth at a time, slice it ourselves, and freeze portions. It’s actually cheaper than buying premium deli meats, and we know exactly what’s in it.
The bacon from Woody’s that we stock at Bliss Box is cured only with sea salt, brown sugar, and sage. No Preservative 250. No celery powder trickery. Just pork, salt, sugar, and herbs.
For sandwich meat, we buy organic roast beef, slow roast it ourselves, and slice it thin. Same with chicken if we want variety. It takes a bit more effort than grabbing deli meat at the supermarket, but it’s one of those small changes that makes a real difference when you’re feeding your family day after day.
The Bottom Line
If you eat processed pork, make it truly nitrate-free. Read the ingredients list, not just the marketing claims on the front of the package. Look for brown colour, not pink. And cook it gently to avoid creating additional carcinogenic compounds.
Or do what a lot of families are doing and just move away from processed meats altogether. Fresh meat that you cook yourself sidesteps the whole issue.
The research is clear, the WHO classification has been public for nearly a decade, but somehow most people still don’t know about it. Now you do.