When we speak about cold cuts, we discuss about the presence of preservatives such as nitrates and nitrites.

But also other ingredients like “dextrose” or “sucrose”, that belong to the category of “sugars”. But is this true? How much? In the organic cold cuts? Let’s try to make this things clear!

Firstly we have to explain, what the NITRATES and the NITRITES are. The NITRATES are substances, that we naturally found in animal feed, vegetables and drinking water. Food, that, in nature, contains the greatest amount of nitrates, are the chard and celery, followed by the spinach and turnips.

Different categories of nitrates are used in the food industry as preservatives of category E, colorants and antioxidants for different foods, especially in processed meat (cold cuts, würstel, canned meat), marinated fish and sometimes even in dairy products.
They are marked in the labels with codes E251 and E252. Their use consists in the fact that nitrates are nowadays the only known substances that  contrast the germination of the spores of Clostridium botulin, one of the most dangerous forms of deadly food infection, which can only be prevented.
The nitrates are harmless, but in particular conditions (heat, bacteria, long-life) can be converted into nitrites and then in nitrosamine. Foods that naturally contains nitrates has also vitamin C, which limits the transformation into nitrosamines.

The NITRITES are preservatives identified by the E249 and E250 acronyms. They are considered potentially dangerous substances, because in acidic environment (for example in the stomach), they became nitrous acid, that cause (originate, shape) the nitrosamines, a compounds considered carcinogenic.
Also nitrites bind to hemoglobin, oxidize it to methemoglobin, reducing, in this way, the transport of oxygen to the tissues.

LET’S ANALYSE THE COLD CUTS

Why are substances as nitrates / nitrites used? There are many reasons:
• First they develop antimicrobial and antiseptic functions, especially against the botulin toxin, as mentioned before
• Furthermore they stabilize the red color of meat (especially in ham if this substances were not used, the ham would be gray!);
• They enhance the development of the scent by acting selectively against microorganisms, that determine the maturation of the cold cuts;

A decree published in the Official Gazette in June 28^th 2016 (Decree 26^th   May 2016 – Changes to the decree 21^th September 2005 concerning the regulation of the production and sale of meat products. (16A04808) -GU General Series 149 of 6-28-2016) entered into force September 26^th 2016, introduces some changes in the production and  in  sales of cold cuts products in Italy.

Among the changes, the decree, which is only an Italian disposition, provides another important clarification:
the use of ingredients, which contains nitrates, nitrites or both, in order to obtain a preservative effect, is configured as the use of food additives and does not allow to boast the absence of preservatives. Basing on the dispositions of the European Commission in the note in January 12^th 2007 “The use of the extract of spinach with a high content of nitrate in meat products”, becomes the deliberate use of a food additive, if the extract of spinach or of other vegetable is used with the purpose to preserve the finished product.
This is an important step forward for the consumer protection, in order to avoid the purchase of a product, that should be without nitrites and nitrates, because of the declaration “without preservative”, but that in reality contains them (extract spinach indeed), hidden by other words (for example: “natural flavors” and / or “natural additives”, “aromatic spices”).

LET’S SEE WHICH ARE THE DIFFERENCES IN THE FIELD OF ORGANIC COLD CUTS FOR WHAT CONCERNES THE USE OF PRESERVATIVES.
In order to ensure, even in organic meats, a proper conservation of the product, its microbial and bacteriological health and therefore not  to risk the health of the consumer, especially in products like cooked ham and mortadella, that not being seasoned (matured), are more exposed to the attack of microbes and bacteria), the addition of preservatives, nitrates / nitrites, is therefore allowed, but at a lower content than the conventional products: we speak about 80 mg per kg of product in organic cold cuts with a maximum of 50 mg per kg of residual allowed, in comparison with 150 mg per kg of product, and without specifying the indication of the residual of conventional cold cuts. A huge (big, great) difference!
Without considering, that the raw material, like pork meat from the organic breeding farms, has already big differences: the pigs must grow on an organic plot of land, fed with organic feed, and, when needed, treated with phytotherapy  treatments.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
The use of preservatives / additives in organic meats is strictly limited compared to the normal use in the cold cuts, obtained with the conventional method; this restriction concernes the composition, the input quantity and the method of use.
So, despite having to comply with the maximum levels allowed by the organic law, the organic  producers of cold cuts can choose to use a fewer quantity of preservatives than those provided, of course without affecting the health of the product and its proper (preservation).
That is the reason why, even when we buy an organic product, we can evaluate the differences: by reading and by comparing the labels, by informing about the producer and the origin of the meat, in order to be sure that we are making the best choice.

Pedrazzoli and preservatives
We are convinced that it is coherent to produce organic meats without the use of the preservatives.
Pedrazzoli since 1996 has completely removed the use of nitrites / nitrates in the seasoned products  of the PrimaVera line (bio line).
In cooked products ( for example mortadella and ham), instead, we still use a small amount of nitrite. We strongly believe that the health of a product should be guaranteed to the customer, until the consumption and, nowadays, there are no substances like nitrites that allow  to conserve the products. We consider a duty to the consumer to indicate ,on the label, if there are inclusion of preservatives, even if it happens indirectly through substances, that contains preservatives.
We can also ensure that the use of nitrites in PrimaVera line products is far lower than the EU directives of bio and consequently the residue in the finished product, which is on average around 18mg per kg (in the organic regulation it is allowed up to 50mg of residue).

The post NITRATES AND NITRITES IN COLD CUTS: WHAT ARE THEY AND WHAT DO WE USE FOR? IN THE CASE OF ORGANIC COLD CUTS, ARE THERE DIFFERENCES? LET’S EXPLAIN! appeared first on Salami Pedrazzoli.

Pig-Happiness is the new awareness campaign made by CIWF and by the Organic PrimaVera line of Salumificio Pedrazzoli.

Play video here

Not all the pigs breeding farms are the same , indeed they are very different, in particular  if we compare intensive farming, where the most part of the meat and Italian salamis come from, with the free-range breeding farms like the one of “Linea Primavera Bio”, the organic line of Salumificio Pedrazzoli that this year celebrates 20 years.

Here it is a video in motion graphic of the campaign Compassion in World Farming which explains in few seconds the reason why it is suitable to buy meat and salamis coming from only those breeding farms which are respectful of the pigs requirements.

The production of the Primavera Line is granted by a closed-loop  “Free Range”, completely dedicated to the organic branch. Pigs are bred in the whole respect for the animal and for the environment: they live free in wide grazing, with exclusively vegetal food that comes from organic plantations, healed through homeopathic and phytotherapy medicines.

The organic salamis of the Primavera Line are produced with 100% Italian meat, following the tradition and the old regional recipes that allow to rediscover almost forgotten tastes.

The Salumifcio Pedrazzoli stands out because unlike other companies operating in the same sector, Salumificio Pedrazzoli is all the while “Breeder and Producer” with its pigs chain, giving complete control of meat from  breeding to the final product.  Salumificio Pedrazzoli gives full transparency of the chain, granting the total traceability of meats and raw material used, preserving the customer from possible risks  connected to the quality and genuineness of products.

It is thanks  to this effort that in 2016 Primavera Bio gained the Good Pig award for the dedication to breed and produce with respect of the pigs wellness.

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Two important meetings in Germany for the organic delicatessen of the PrimaVera line by Salumificio Pedrazzoli: at BioWest in Düsseldorf and at BioOst in Berlin.

The fair in Düsseldorf has recently taken place (on the 17^th of April) and we are ready for the next one in Berlin, on Saturday the 24^th of April. Two important events for the experts of the organic sector in a country, Germany, that represents the largest market of the EU in terms of organic products.

A unique showcase to present our Italian excellences, the organic delicatessen of the PrimaVera line by Pedrazzoli, which are made of solely organic meat of our Italian pigs that are bred in our free-range farms, where the well-being of animals is put at the first place. The organic delicatessen of Salumificio Pedrazzoli put together the unique taste of the Italian butchery tradition and the respect for the environment and the well-being of animals. The respect for the needs of animals and the promotion of well-being criteria, together with the 100% eco-friendly environment (without any source of pollution) that hosts the pigs  are the prerequisites for the creation of good and genuine product. The organic breeding farms owned by Pedrazzoli have enough space that allows the animals to move freely. In fact, it is proportional to the number of head. Moreover, they are equipped with comfortable places, made of natural materials, where the animals can recover.

Organic breeding includes also other types of care concerning the animals’ well-being. Moreover, it respects the natural growth rhythm of animals, avoiding the use of any hormones/growth promoters.

BioOst and BioWest are two important fairs that take place in Germany and, together with BioSüd and BioNord, they host about 13000 visitors every year. More than one hundred exhibitors take part to these fairs, among them there are breeders, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers of the organic sector. In whole, the four fairs cover different areas of Germany, i. e. Berlin, Düsseldorf, Augsburg and Hannover. The last two take place respectively on the 25^th of September and the 9^th of October.

Visit our stand at BioOst in Berlin on the 24^th of April, we are in the hall 25-C14.

Salumificio Pedrazzoli
It takes passion!

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It is not necessary to go to Trentino Alto Adige to taste a delicious speck. The speck of our organic line PrimaVera will surprise your palate with its unmistakable taste and scent.

For sure, the speck is the most fragrant ham among the best known products of the tradition of Northern countries and it is characterized by a very intense taste. It has a unique production process that originated in Trentino Alto Adige. It includes a slight smoking and an outdoor seasoning that are well-known all over the world among gourmets.

For what concerns taste and fragrance, organic speck of the PrimaVera line by Pedrazzoli never disappoints your expectations. For its production, we select only the best thighs of organic pigs that are bred in our free-range breeding farms . Moreover, the recipe follows rigorously this product’s tradition and long history. For our breeders,  the well-being and feeding of pigs is very important: through an accurate study of their feeding, we select the best raw materials (only organic corn, barley, wheat, bran, soya). We also take rigorously into consideration the animal/land relationship, which is always low to respect the natural needs of the animals and the environment.

HISTORY: The first references to Speck date back to the XVIII century. Although with different names, from 1200 onwards, it appeared in the account registers and in the cooking books of slaughters. The word “speck” comes from the old high German  “spec” and “speck”, which mean “thick, fat”. Its production follows two different procedures for meat preservation:  seasoning, the same one of Parma ham that is common in the Mediterranean area, and smoking, which originated in Northern Europe. That’s how a typical product with an unmistakable taste and a unique production process was created, following the old tradition of using “ little salt, little smoke and a lot of fresh air”.

PROCESS: Speck is covered with salt and a mixture of flavourings (salt, pepper, rosemary, laurel and juniper). It is cured in dry conditions in a controlled environment for three weeks and it is turned many times during this period to facilitate the uniform penetration  of the mixture. The final amount of salt in the product must not exceed  5%. Then, there are the smoking and drying phases. Smoking is made with not too resinous, light wood. The temperature of the smoke must be lower than 20°C. Lastly, there is the seasoning phase, speck is left hanging in fresh and aired conditions. The length of the seasoning depends on the size of the speck, at least 22 weeks. During this phase, on the surface of the product a natural layer of mould appears. In this way,  speck does not become too dry and it reaches a particular round taste. The layer of mould is, then, removed.

FOOD AND WINE MATCHING: We suggest to combine Speck with black bread and wine or beer. It is a typical snack of Alto Adige, which is served and eaten as a gesture of hospitality. This traditional dish consists of a wooden board with speck, sausages, typical cheese and cucumbers. It is combined with homemade bread and wine. Speck has become the main ingredient of many classical recipes, like the one of tomino (traditional cheese from Piedmont) that is wrapped in speck slices and it is, then, baked. Another original combination is speck with warm ananas. Speck is also simply perfect in a sandwich!

It is combined with red, still, medium-bodied wine, in particular the ones that are produced in Alto Adige, like Pinot Nero.

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