, ▁it ▁was ▁found ▁that ▁as cor b ic ▁acid ▁( v it amin ▁C ), ▁an ▁ant io x id ant , ▁in hib its ▁nit ros am ine ▁formation . ▁Con sequently , ▁the ▁addition ▁of ▁at ▁least ▁ 5 5 0 ▁p pm ▁of ▁as cor b ic ▁acid ▁is ▁required ▁in ▁me ats ▁manufact ured ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Man ufact ur ers ▁sometimes ▁instead ▁use ▁er yth orb ic ▁acid , ▁a ▁che aper ▁but ▁equally ▁effective ▁is omer ▁of ▁as cor b ic ▁acid . ▁Additionally , ▁manufact ur ers ▁may ▁include ▁α - to cop her ol ▁( v it amin ▁E ) ▁to ▁further ▁in hib it ▁nit ros am ine ▁production . ▁α - T oc opher ol , ▁as cor b ic ▁acid , ▁and ▁er yth orb ic ▁acid ▁all ▁in hib it ▁nit ros am ine ▁production ▁by ▁their ▁ox id ation - redu ction ▁properties . ▁As cor b ic ▁acid , ▁for ▁example , ▁forms ▁de h ydro as cor b ic ▁acid ▁when ▁ox id ized , ▁which ▁when ▁in ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁nit ro son ium , ▁a ▁pot ent ▁nit ros ating ▁agent ▁formed ▁from ▁sod ium ▁nit rite , ▁reduces ▁the ▁nit ro son ium ▁into ▁nit ric ▁ox ide . ▁The ▁nit ro son ium ▁ion ▁formed ▁in ▁acid ic ▁nit rite ▁solutions ▁is ▁commonly ▁mis l abeled ▁nit r ous ▁an h yd ride , ▁an ▁un stable ▁nit ro gen ▁ox