Tag: Uncured jerky

According to a 2009 study cited by Healthline, approximately 80 percent of dietary nitrates come from vegetables, not processed meats. However, when it comes to packaged meat snacks, does beef jerky contain nitrates? The answer depends on whether the product is cured using synthetic additives or natural alternatives.

Nitrates and nitrites have been used for centuries to preserve meat, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) first drafting guidelines for their use in 1925. However, not all jerky today contains synthetic nitrate additives. Many consumers are now seeking out alternatives, leading to a rise in products labeled 'uncured' or preserved using natural methods.