Turkey bacon producer Ambry has reformulated its turkey bacon, which it claims is the first turkey bacon in the world to be made entirely without nitrites.
Ambry produces award-winning turkey bacon for independent retailers and restaurants across the UK. Elliott Bloomfield, founder of Ambry, commented: “From day one, removing nitrites was our ultimate goal. We knew it would be difficult, but we were determined to create the healthiest turkey bacon possible without compromising on the quality that’s made us Britain’s best.”
Nitrites and nitrates, commonly used in cured meats, have reportedly been linked to potential health concerns when consumed regularly. These preservatives have traditionally been considered necessary for flavour and shelf-life. However, having been lobbied recently by the organisation Coalition Against Nitrites, which campaigns for the removal of nitrites from processed meats, The Food Standards Agency has stood by its opinion that there is “no evidence” that removing nitrites makes processed meat safer.
George Limniotis, production manager at Ambry, stated: “The biggest challenge was removing nitrites while maintaining the quality our customers expect. We ran countless trials to perfect the new recipe. Now we have a product that’s not only healthier, but one we’re incredibly proud of.”
The Norfolk-based producer said its turkey bacon offers health-conscious consumers an “even cleaner option”.
Ambry highlighted that in the UK, regulations prohibit the use of celery powder as a preservative – it claimed this was a “loophole” used by some overseas producers to claim “nitrite-free” status while still delivering nitrites from natural sources. Its turkey bacon replaced nitrites with ingredients supplier Prosur’s natural fruit and vegetable extracts.
Bloomfield continued: “We had to do this the hard way. There was no celery powder shortcut available to us. The result is bacon with no added nitrites from any source, made from only genuinely natural ingredients.”
