Control of nitrosamine formation in nitride cured meat with 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-quinoline compounds

A composition for the curing of meats comprising an aqueous curing solution containing sodium chloride, a sugar, an alkali metal nitrite curing salt and from about 0.001 to 0.2% by weight of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2,2,4-trimethyl-6-ethoxyquinoline.

A process for nitrosamine control in nitrite cured meats comprising treating the meat during or after the nitrite cure with an effective amount of a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6-alkoxyquinoline compound, in which the alkoxy group contains from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, to reduce the quantity of nitrosamines formed when the cured meat is cooked at frying temperature.

A process for the curing of bacon so as to reduce the quantity of nitrosamines formed when the cured bacon is subjected to frying temperatures, comprising curing said bacon with a nitrite curing solution containing an amount of a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6-alkoxyquinoline compound, wherein the alkoxy group contains from 1-12 carbon atoms, sufficient to provide from about 1 to 200 parts of the compound per million parts of the meat.

A process for the control of nitrosamine formation during cooking of nitrite cured bacon comprising applying to slices of the cured bacon an edible oil solution of a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6-alkoxyquinoline compound, wherein the alkoxy group contains from 1-12 carbon atoms, said solution being applied to the bacon slices in an amount sufficient to provide from about 1 to 200 parts by weight of the said compound per million parts by weight of meat.

A nitrite cured meat product containing from about 1 to 200 parts by weight per million parts of the meat of a compound of the formula:

• ##STR4## wherein:
• R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are the same or different and each are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and
• R.sub.5 is an alkyl group of from 1 to 12 carbon atoms.