▁However , ▁to ▁extend ▁the ▁lif es pan ▁of ▁this ▁color ▁change , ▁significantly ▁higher ▁levels ▁are ▁needed . ▁The ▁mechanism ▁responsible ▁for ▁this ▁color ▁change ▁is ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁nit ros yl ating ▁agents ▁by ▁nit rite , ▁which ▁has ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁transfer ▁nit ric ▁ox ide ▁that ▁subsequently ▁react s ▁with ▁my og lo bin ▁to ▁produce ▁the ▁c ured ▁meat ▁color . ▁The ▁unique ▁taste ▁associated ▁with ▁c ured ▁meat ▁is ▁also ▁affected ▁by ▁the ▁addition ▁of ▁sod ium ▁nit rite . ▁However , ▁the ▁mechanism ▁underlying ▁this ▁change ▁in ▁taste ▁is ▁still ▁not ▁fully ▁understood . ▁ ▁In hib ition ▁of ▁micro b ial ▁growth ▁S od ium ▁nit rite ▁is ▁known ▁for ▁its ▁role ▁in ▁in hib iting ▁the ▁growth ▁of ▁Clo str id ium ▁bot ul in um ▁sp ores ▁in ▁re fr iger ated ▁me ats . ▁The ▁mechanism ▁for ▁this ▁activity ▁results ▁from ▁the ▁in hib ition ▁of ▁iron - s ulf ur ▁clusters ▁essential ▁to ▁energy ▁met abol ism ▁of ▁Clo str id ium ▁bot ul in um . ▁However , ▁sod ium ▁nit rite ▁has ▁had ▁varying ▁degrees ▁of ▁effect iveness ▁for ▁cont rolling ▁growth ▁of ▁other ▁spo il age ▁or ▁disease ▁causing ▁micro organ isms . ▁Even ▁though ▁the ▁in hib itory ▁mechan isms ▁for ▁sod ium ▁nit rite ▁are ▁not ▁well ▁known , ▁its ▁effect iveness ▁depends ▁on ▁several ▁factors ▁including ▁resid ual ▁nit rite ▁level , ▁p H , ▁salt ▁concentration , ▁re duct ants ▁present ▁and ▁iron ▁content