Curing Salt / Prague Powder, Composition and Safety Issues
A sausage is not a sausage without the curing salt. The same is true with tocino, it may look like it but taste will be different. Prague powder or curing salt is responsible for giving the processed meat product it characteristic flavor and color.
Try to make tocino without prague powder. Drop me a comment, if you prove me wrong.
It also function as preservative. A substance that kills spoilage bacteria, especially the dangerous Clostridium botulinum.
Curing Salt has different formulations:
Cure #1 — 6.25% Sodium nitrite: 93.75% Salt. For fresh and cooked sausages.
Cure #2 — 6.25% Sodium nitrite: 4% Sodium nitrate and 89.75% Salt For dry-cured sausages.
Tender Quick — 0.5% Sodium nitrite, 0.5% Sodium nitrate, Salt, Sugar, and Propylene glycol. For brine curing.
Saltpeter — 100% Potassium nitrate, it is not recommended due to difficulty in measurements.
In high concentrations it may yield these possible side effects. They are the results or various studies. Prague powder concentration in finished products is limited to 200 ppm as stated in Philippine Regulation on Food Additives. Some regulatory agencies require lower values.
- It forms carcinogenic nitrosamines in meats when exposed to high temperatures. However, antioxidants like vitamin C and E may inhibit nitrosamine formation. Studies have linked it to various types of cancer.
- It has been linked to the triggering migraines in migraine prone individuals.
- Frequent ingestion of cured meats may cause COPD, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- If ingested in high concentration, it may cause methemoglobinemia, a disorder characterized by the presence of a higher than normal level of methemoglobin (metHb) in the blood.
- Avoid Corned Beef and Other Meat Products With Bright Red Color
- Meat Curing Basic Techniques, Tocino and Tapa
- Nitrates and Nitrites Contents of Common Filipino Meat Products
- How to Make Pork Tocino, Chorico(Chorizo) and Chicharon
- Meat Curing Methods and Useful Tips
- LONGGANISA / Philippine BBQ Sausage Recipe
- How to Make Mutton Salami Sausage
- How to Make Chinese-Style Ham and Quick Cured Ham
- Good and Bad Effects of Salt
- How to Make Pork and Beef Bacon
can i use Prague powder in a fish tocino??tnx
[Reply]
marvin Reply:
May 22nd, 2011 at 9:02 am
@joana – yes! it can be use for preserving fish products.
[Reply]
saan pwede bunili ng prague powder phosphat?
ang accord ba at phosphate ay pareho?
[Reply]
marvin Reply:
June 14th, 2011 at 7:14 am
GRAMMIX FOOD INTERNATIONAL, INCORPORATED
Contact Person: Ms Nanita Salarzon
Address: 854 Apacible Street Manila 1000
Telephone 0063 2 5253080
and
MGM FOOD COMMODITIES CORPARATION
61 Mariveles Corner Sultan streets
Mandaluyong City 1150
mgmfoods@yahoo.com
02-5335111
02-5335126
02-7184277
[Reply]
Hi!is there any place near merville paranaque that we can buy accord and curring salt?thank you
[Reply]
marvin Reply:
August 11th, 2011 at 2:24 pm
Inquire here:
GRAMMIX FOOD INTERNATIONAL, INCORPORATED
Contact Person: Ms Nanita Salarzon
Address: 854 Apacible Street Manila 1000
Telephone 0063 2 5253080
and
MGM FOOD COMMODITIES CORPARATION
61 Mariveles Corner Sultan streets
Mandaluyong City 1150
mgmfoods@yahoo.com
02-5335111
02-5335126
02-7184277
[Reply]
where po pwede mkbuy mg prague powder if im not in manila? kasi gusto kp sana mg business ng tocino at longganisa dto s leyte…meron po b yun s cebu,at saan? sa mga sm outlets meron po b? wait po ako s reply,,,tnx and GOD BLESS!
[Reply]
marvin Reply:
December 14th, 2011 at 3:26 pm
Sorry di ko masasagot ng eksakto and tanung mo. Di kc sa lugar namin ay may nakikita akong nagtitinda sa palengke. Bale dalwang palengke na ung nakitaan ko nito. Try mo scout sa mga public markets baka sakali. Industrial goods kc ang prague powder / sodium nitrite / sodium nitrate kaya medyo madalang ang nagtitinda. Try mo din pala sa Ebay.ph
[Reply]