Finnebrogue Artisan launches nitrite-free bacon
British bacon has received a natural makeover with Finnebrogue Artisan launching a bacon product made without nitrites.
Naked Bacon from Finnebrogue Artisan.
Nitrites are usually added to cured meat to achieve its characteristic pink colour, texture, some flavour and also to help as a preservative. However, for its new launch – Naked Bacon – Finnebrogue is using a natural flavouring to achieve a similar effect.
The flavouring is produced from Mediterranean fruit and spice extracts. Currently used in continental style hams in the European Union, this is the first time the technology has been applied to British bacon, following a £14 million initial investment from Finnebrogue.
Denis Lynn, Finnebrogue chairman, commented: “I’ve been all over the world to figure out a way to make bacon without nitrites – and up to now we’d never made a single rasher of bacon because we couldn’t work out how to do it. For more than a decade I have insisted we not touch bacon until such time as we can make it better and safer – and now we have.”
With the World Health Organisation (WHO) claiming consuming nitrites can increase the risk of developing cancer, Finnebrogue is stating that its Naked Bacon is a ‘safer option’ than other bacon products on the market.
“Our Naked Bacon is not only safer than any other bacon on the market, it also tops the charts in blind taste tests,” Lynn added. “This really is the biggest revolution to the British breakfast for a generation.”
Juan de Dios Hernandez Canovas, chief executive of Spanish company Prosur, which developed the flavouring, commented: “We are delighted to have an exclusive partnership with Finnebrogue to bring bacon made without nitrites onto the UK market for the first time. Our processing technology and natural flavouring mean nitrites are no longer required in processed meats.”
As well as Naked Bacon, Finnebrogue is launching Naked Ham. The first packets of Naked Bacon will be in supermarkets on 10th January, while Naked Ham launches on 15th January.
Marks and Spencer will be packaging the bacon product in its own brand.
Kirsty Adams, Marks and Spencer product developer, said: “We have worked closely with Finnebrogue throughout their innovation on Nitrite Free bacon, to ensure our own brand recipe is a fantastic tasting bacon without compromise on flavour – as our customers would expect.”
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