From 9 October 2025, two ceilings will apply: the maximum amount that can be added during production and the maximum amount that can be contained in the product to be sold. Producers must be sure that the level of nitrite added during the production process does not exceed the maximum amount allowed. This article states the new maximum amount of nitrite, why these new requirements apply, which traditionally cured meat products are exempt, which new requirements apply to producers and how to roughly calculate the residual value of nitrite.

Changes as of 9 October 2025

The stricter requirements should ensure that consumers' final intake of nitrite and nitrate is reduced, without compromising food safety.

New maximum values per product category

The new rules set lower limits for the use of nitrite and nitrate in various meat products:

• Non-heat-treated meat products (e.g. dry sausage, raw ham):
  • Old rule: Max. 150 mg/kg nitrite may be added.
  • New rule: Max 80 mg/kg nitrite may be added.
  • New residual value: Max. 45 mg/kg nitrite in final product at sale.

• A limit of 90-110 mg/kg is set for nitrates, depending on the product.
  • Heat-treated meat products (e.g. cooked ham, smoked sausage):
  • Old rule: Max. 150 mg/kg nitrite addition.
  • New rule: Max. 100 mg/kg addition.
  • New residual value: Max. 50 mg/kg on sale.

Table: New maximum quantity

Why are nitrite and nitrate used?

Nitrite and nitrate are used for preservation: Protection against spoilage and dangerous bacteria, such as Clostridium botulinum (cause of botulism), for colour maintenance: Nitrite ensures a pinkish-red colour in processed meat products and flavour development: it contributes to the typical taste of the products concerned.

Why these changes?

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has identified potential health risks from current exposure to nitrite and nitrate. The new limits should help to reduce the formation of harmful nitrosamines in meat products, reduce consumers' exposure to nitrite and nitrate and allow producers to better control how much of these substances is still present in the final product.

New requirements for producers

From 9 October 2025, producers of the NVWA must:
✅ More precise dosing on adding nitrite and nitrate during production.
✅ Regular testing to check that residual quantities in the final product are within limits.
✅ Correct labelling and document how much nitrite and nitrate were added.
✅ Analyse causes If a product exceeds the maximum residual value.

Source: NVWA additives manual, version November 2024

With these new rules, the industry will be forced to monitor more strictly the actual presence of nitrite and nitrate in meat products.

Traditionally cured meat products are excluded

At Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 include specific provisions for traditional meat products that allow higher limits for nitrite and nitrate, provided they meet certain preparation requirements. These products can be found in Annex II of the regulation, under category 08.3.4:

08.3.4 Traditional and traditionally manufactured cured meat products subject to specific provisions regarding nitrites and nitrates:

• 3.4.1 Traditional products cured in brine: Meat products dipped in a brine solution of nitrites and/or nitrates, salt and other ingredients.
• 3.4.2 Traditionally manufactured dry-salted products: Dry curing involves rubbing the outside of the meat dry with a curing mixture containing nitrites and/or nitrates, salt and other components, followed by stabilisation/maturation.
• 3.4.3 Other traditional and traditionally manufactured cured products: This includes combinations of salts in a brine bath and dry salts, or products where nitrites and/or nitrates are components of a composite product, or where the brine solution is injected into the product before cooking.

For a full list of these products and the specific conditions under which higher nitrite and nitrate limits are allowed, please Annex II of the regulation can be consulted. It can be found on the EUR-Lex website: Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008

This annex lists the authorised additives for each product category and their maximum concentrations, as well as any specific conditions for their use.

Different residual values of nitrite in meat products

The final residual value of nitrite in a meat product after preparation is not directly equal to the amount added. This is because nitrite degrades, reacts and evaporates during the production process. The residual amount of nitrite depends on several parameters.

Estimation formula

A common rule of thumb is that about 30-70% of the added nitrite disappears during processing.

Thus, the residual value can be roughly estimated as: Residual nitrite=Added quantity×(30%-70%).

For 100 ppm (mg/kg) of added nitrite, this results in a residual value between 30 and 70 ppm. Note: This is an estimated value. The exact residual value depends on several factors.

Key parameters affecting residual value

Process parameters

• Heating temperature and duration
  • The higher the temperature and the longer the heating, the more nitrite breaks down or evaporates.
  • Cooked ham, for example, loses more nitrite than a cold-ripened dry sausage.
• pH value of the product
  • A lower pH (more acidic) accelerates the breakdown of nitrite.
  • At a pH <5.5, nitrite degrades faster than at a neutral pH (~6.2).
• Storage and ripening conditions
  • During storage and maturation, nitrite can further break down to nitrogen oxides, nitrates or gaseous compounds.

Product features

• Fat and moisture content
  • Dry products (such as salami) retain more nitrite.
  • Moist products (such as cooked sausages) lose nitrite faster.
• Protein and myoglobin content
  • Myoglobin in meat reacts with nitrite to form nitrosomyoglobin (responsible for the pink colour).
  • More myoglobin → More nitrite reactions → Lower residual value.
• Presence of antioxidants
  • Substances such as ascorbic acid (E300) and erythorbic acid (E316) promote the conversion of nitrite into nitrogen oxides, which lowers the residual value.

Table Product type and expected residual value

 * For smoked sausages (residual value max 50 ppm), dry sausages and raw ham (residual value max 45 ppm), the new standard seems difficult to achieve. Traditional cured meats are also excluded from these measures partly for this reason.

Conclusion

The new requirements apply to all producers of meat products. Although traditionally cured meats fall outside the scope of the new rules, artisan producers of cooked sausages and meat products will also be affected. In short, the rules around less nitrite use add another lot of extra bureaucracy and administration. This could have been easier.

Sources:

Handbook on additives in foodstuffs | Publication | NVWA

EUR-Lex - 92000E0053 - EN

https://edepot.wur.nl/115368

https://edepot.wur.nl/40519

'Nitrite-free meats are unfair' - Foodlog