Calculating sodium nitrite in meat and sausage cures   Home   Nitrates How Nitrates Work Nitrate Cures Safety Concerns Calculating Nitrates   Cure 1 Calculator   Calculating Nitrites Parts per million can be calculated as follows :  Ppm =  sodium nitrite (in grams) x 1,000,000 (1 million) / weight of cured meat (in grams)  For example if we use 1 gram of pure sodium nitrite to cure 5 kg (5000 grams) of meat ::  1 gram of sodium nitrite x 1,000,000/5000 grams of cured meat = 200 ppm of sodium nitrirte Another example based on 5 kg of meat and 0.750 g of sodium nitrite 0.750 g of sodium nitrite  x 1,000,000/5000 g of cured meat = 150 ppm of sodium nitrite. Both results conform to the standards established by the FDA as they are below the maximum permissible limit of 200 ppm Note : another way to look at the definition is to remember that 1 pound of sodium nitrite added to 5,000 pounds of meat will give us 200 ppm of sodium nitrite  To do our own calculations we need to know that : 1 lb = 453.6 g 1 oz = 28.47 g There is almost no need for any calculations when using the metric system scale : 200 ppm corresponds to adding 200 mg (0.2 g) of sodium nitrite to 1 kg (1000 g) of cured meat. 150 ppm corresponds to adding 150 mg (0.150 g) of sodium nitrite to 1 kg of cured meat 1 kg = 1000 g 1g = 1000 mg (miligrams) Above calculations hold valid when using pure sodium nitrite and that will not apply to a home based sausage maker who has access to only pre-mixed cures like Instacure 1.  Fortunately we know that Instacure # 1 contains 6.25 % of pure sodium nitrite. All we have to do is to measure on a metric scale (in grams) amount of Instacure 1 and multiply it by 0.0625. That will give us weight in grams of sodium nitrite that is contained in Instacure 1 mix. For European cures like Peklosól the weight of cure has to be multiplied by 0.006. For example by adding 30 g of Peklosól to 1 kg of meat we are adding 30 x 0.006 = 0.18 g of pure sodium nitrite. If we substitute those numbers in our main formula above we will get 180 ppm of nitrite. 0.18 (sodium nitrite) x 1,000,000 / 1,000 (1 kg of meat) = 180 ppm or 180 mg/kg   The Government allows no more than 200 ppm of sodium nitrite to be added to the meat and letÅ‚s see what we really have inside of the Instacure 1. 1 oz of Instacure #1 x 0.0625 = 28.47 g x 0.0625 = 1.77 g of pure sodium nitrite 1 oz of Instacure #1 contains 1.77 g of sodium nitrite and we know it cures 25 lbs of meat 25 lbs = 25 x 453.6 =11340 g Going back to our formula : Ppm = 1.77g x 1,000,000 / 11340 g (25 lbs) =156 Now we can sleep much better knowing that the amount of nitrite in Instacure # 1 comes to only    156 ppm.  The maximum level  of sodium nitrite is defined at 200 ppm but basically the figure widely used in pre-mixed cures is 156 ppm (156 mg/kg) and that coresponds to one-quarter ounce (7.1 g) of pure sodium nitrite per 100 pounds (45.4 kg) of meat. Nitrate though still permitted, is not commonly used by the industry except in manufacture of long term air dried products. Note : in the USA and in Europe a permitted residual nitrite content in meats at retail  is 50 ppm Note : ready to eat cured meats at retail have a residual nitrite content of only about 10 ppm. Note : 75 ppm or more of nitrite is needed (plus salt) to be effective in preventing development of botulism   More information on curing can be found at: Curing   Copyright © 2005 WedlinyDomowe.com All rights reserved                           geovisit();