▁in ▁food s ▁to ▁minim ize ▁the ▁amount ▁needed ▁while ▁maxim izing ▁its ▁food ▁add itive ▁role . ▁Through ▁this ▁research , ▁sod ium ▁nit rite ▁has ▁been ▁found ▁to ▁give ▁taste ▁and ▁color ▁to ▁the ▁meat ; ▁in hib it ▁li pid ▁ox id ation ▁that ▁leads ▁to ▁r anc id ity ; ▁and ▁in hib it ▁growth ▁of ▁disease - ca using ▁micro organ isms . ▁The ▁ability ▁of ▁sod ium ▁nit rite ▁to ▁address ▁the ▁above - ment ioned ▁issues ▁has ▁led ▁to ▁production ▁of ▁meat ▁with ▁extended ▁storage ▁life ▁and ▁has ▁improved ▁des irable ▁color / t aste . ▁According ▁to ▁scient ists ▁working ▁for ▁the ▁meat ▁industry , ▁nit rite ▁has ▁improved ▁food ▁safety . ▁ ▁N it rite ▁has ▁the ▁E ▁number ▁E 2 5 0 . ▁Pot ass ium ▁nit rite ▁( E 2 4 9 ) ▁is ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁way . ▁It ▁is ▁approved ▁for ▁usage ▁in ▁the ▁EU , ▁USA ▁and ▁Australia ▁and ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁ ▁Color ▁and ▁taste ▁The ▁appearance ▁and ▁taste ▁of ▁meat ▁is ▁an ▁important ▁component ▁of ▁consumer ▁accept ance . ▁S od ium ▁nit rite ▁is ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁des irable ▁red ▁color ▁( or ▁sh aded ▁p ink ) ▁of ▁meat . ▁Very ▁little ▁nit rite ▁is ▁needed ▁to ▁indu ce ▁this ▁change . ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁reported ▁that ▁as ▁little ▁as ▁ 2 ▁to ▁ 1 4 ▁parts ▁per ▁million ▁( pp m ) ▁is ▁needed ▁to ▁indu ce ▁this ▁des irable ▁color ▁change .