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65-412: The chain has over 185 locations in 32 U.S. states and 10 other countries, including 15 California Pizza Kitchen nontraditional, franchise concepts designed for airports, universities, and stadiums. CPK's brand is licensed to a line of hand-tossed style, crispy thin crust, gluten-free crust, and small frozen pizzas for sale in supermarkets. The brand was originally licensed to Kraft in 1999. The license

130-695: A hydroperoxide as a reactive intermediate, as in free-radical peroxidation. The final products depend on conditions: the lipoxygenase article shows that if a hydroperoxide lyase enzyme is present, it can cleave the hydroperoxide to yield short-chain fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids (several of which were first discovered in rancid fats). Microbial rancidity refers to a water-dependent process in which microorganisms, such as bacteria or molds , use their enzymes such as lipases to break down fat. Pasteurization and/or addition of antioxidant ingredients such as vitamin E , can reduce this process by destroying or inhibiting microorganisms. Despite concerns among

195-523: A better position for either a sale or an IPO . Food preservation#Freezing Food preservation includes processes that make food more resistant to microorganism growth and slow the oxidation of fats . This slows down the decomposition and rancidification process. Food preservation may also include processes that inhibit visual deterioration, such as the enzymatic browning reaction in apples after they are cut during food preparation. By preserving food , food waste can be reduced, which

260-966: A characteristic pink colour. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization classified processed meat —i.e., meat that has undergone salting, curing, and smoking—as "carcinogenic to humans". Some foods, such as many cheeses , wines , and beers , are prepared by fermentation. This involves cultivating specific microorganisms to combat spoilage from other, less benign organisms. These microorganisms keep pathogens in check by producing acid or alcohol, which eventually creates an environment toxic for themselves and other microorganisms. Methods of fermentation include, but are not limited to, starter microorganisms, salt, hops, controlled (usually cool) temperatures and controlled (usually low) levels of oxygen. These methods are used to create

325-455: A gel made from gelatin and clarified meat broth. Another form of preservation is setting the cooked food in a container and covering it with a layer of fat. Potted chicken liver can be prepared in this way, and so can potted shrimps , to be served on toast. Calf's foot jelly used to be prepared for invalids. Jellying is one of the steps in producing traditional pâtés . Many jugged meats (see below) are also jellied. Another type of jellying

390-535: A gel. Such materials include gelatin , agar , maize flour, and arrowroot flour. Some animal flesh forms a protein gel when cooked. Eels and elvers , and sipunculid worms, are a delicacy in Xiamen , China, as are jellied eels in the East End of London , where they are eaten with mashed potatoes. British cuisine has a rich tradition of potted meats . Meat off-cuts were, until the 1950s, preserved in aspic ,

455-465: A new way of preservation, it was not understood until 1864 when Louis Pasteur found the relationship between microorganisms, food spoilage, and illness. Foods have varying degrees of natural protection against spoilage and may require that the final step occurs in a pressure cooker . High-acid fruits like strawberries require no preservatives to can and only a short boiling cycle, whereas marginal vegetables such as carrots require longer boiling and

520-409: A preservative, and it was commonplace to store fruit in honey. Similar to pickled foods, sugar cane was brought to Europe through the trade routes. In northern climates without sufficient sun to dry foods, preserves are made by heating the fruit with sugar. "Sugar tends to draw water from the microbes (plasmolysis). This process leaves the microbial cells dehydrated, thus killing them. In this way,

585-525: Is fruit preserves , which are preparations of cooked fruits, vegetables and sugar, often stored in glass jam jars and Mason jars . Many varieties of fruit preserves are made globally, including sweet fruit preserves, such as those made from strawberry or apricot, and savory preserves, such as those made from tomatoes or squash. The ingredients used and how they are prepared determine the type of preserves; jams , jellies , and marmalades are all examples of different styles of fruit preserves that vary based upon

650-668: Is a developing technology still being researched. There have been limited industrial applications of PEF processing for the pasteurization of fruit juices. To date, several PEF treated juices are available on the market in Europe. Furthermore, for several years a juice pasteurization application in the US has used PEF. For cell disintegration purposes especially potato processors show great interest in PEF technology as an efficient alternative for their preheaters. Potato applications are already operational in

715-444: Is a method for processing cells by means of brief pulses of a strong electric field. PEF holds potential as a type of low-temperature alternative pasteurization process for sterilizing food products. In PEF processing, a substance is placed between two electrodes, then the pulsed electric field is applied. The electric field enlarges the pores of the cell membranes, which kills the cells and releases their contents. PEF for food processing

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780-452: Is also another approach of impregnating packaging materials (plastic films or other) with antioxidants and antimicrobials. Irradiation of food is the exposure of food to ionizing radiation . Multiple types of ionizing radiation can be used, including beta particles (high-energy electrons ) and gamma rays (emitted from radioactive sources such as cobalt-60 or cesium-137 ). Irradiation can kill bacteria, molds, and insect pests, reduce

845-440: Is an important way to decrease production costs and increase the efficiency of food systems , improve food security and nutrition and contribute towards environmental sustainability . For instance, it can reduce the environmental impact of food production . Many processes designed to preserve food involve more than one food preservation method. Preserving fruit by turning it into jam, for example, involves boiling (to reduce

910-438: Is catalyzed by sunlight. Oxidation primarily occurs with unsaturated fats. For example, even though meat is held under refrigeration or in a frozen state, the poly-unsaturated fat will continue to oxidize and slowly become rancid. The fat oxidation process, potentially resulting in rancidity, begins immediately after the animal is slaughtered and the muscle, intra-muscular, inter-muscular and surface fat becomes exposed to oxygen of

975-526: Is practical to store rice by burying it underground. This method helps to store for three to six months during the dry season. Butter and similar substances have been preserved as bog butter in Irish peat bogs for centuries. Century eggs are traditionally created by placing eggs in alkaline mud (or other alkaline substance), resulting in their "inorganic" fermentation through raised pH instead of spoiling. The fermentation preserves them and breaks down some of

1040-496: Is preferred. The effectiveness of water-soluble antioxidants is limited in preventing direct oxidation within fats, but is valuable in intercepting free radicals that travel through the aqueous parts of foods. A combination of water-soluble and fat-soluble antioxidants is ideal, usually in the ratio of fat to water. In addition, rancidification can be decreased by storing fats and oils in a cool, dark place with little exposure to oxygen or free radicals, since heat and light accelerate

1105-494: Is the Rancimat method. The Rancimat method is carried out using an air current at temperatures between 50 and 220 °C. The volatile oxidation products (largely formic acid ) are carried by the air current into the measuring vessel, where they are absorbed (dissolve) in the measuring fluid ( distilled water ). By continuous measurement of the conductivity of this solution, oxidation curves can be generated. The cusp point of

1170-508: Is the process of stewing the meat (commonly game or fish ) in a covered earthenware jug or casserole . The animal to be jugged is usually cut into pieces, placed into a tightly sealed jug with brine or gravy , and stewed. Red wine and/or the animal's own blood is sometimes added to the cooking liquid. Jugging was a popular method of preserving meat up until the middle of the 20th century. Sodium hydroxide ( lye ) makes food too alkaline for bacterial growth. Lye will saponify fats in

1235-408: Is used in the traditional production of kimchi . Sometimes meat is buried under conditions that cause preservation. If buried on hot coals or ashes, the heat can kill pathogens, the dry ash can desiccate, and the earth can block oxygen and further contamination. If buried where the earth is very cold, the earth acts like a refrigerator, or, in areas of permafrost , a freezer. In Odisha, India , it

1300-423: Is used to make beer, the boiling during the brewing process may kill bacteria that could make people sick. The barley and other ingredients also infuse the drink with nutrients, and the microorganisms can also produce vitamins as they ferment. However, the common belief that premodern people avoided drinking ordinary water is a myth. While people avoided drinking dirty or polluted water, they also avoided using it for

1365-489: Is very dry and salty (thus a desiccant) such as sand, or soil that is frozen. Many root vegetables are very resistant to spoilage and require no other preservation than storage in cool dark conditions, for example by burial in the ground, such as in a storage clamp (not to be confused with a root cellar ). Cabbage was traditionally buried during autumn in northern US farms for preservation. Some methods keep it crispy while other methods produce sauerkraut . A similar process

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1430-589: The COVID-19 pandemic . Owner Golden Gate Capital LP had acquired the company in 2011 and lost 100% of its investment. In October 2020, the sale of the company's assets was cancelled because no party submitted a qualified bid by the sale deadline. The company emerged from bankruptcy in November 2020, with significantly less debt, and hired a new CFO, Judd Tirnauer. In mid-2021, it reportedly hired advisors to refinance its remaining $ 177 million debt, which would put it in

1495-441: The World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization , endorse food irradiation. Consumers may have a negative view of irradiated food based on the misconception that such food is radioactive; in fact, irradiated food does not and cannot become radioactive. Activists have also opposed food irradiation for other reasons, for example, arguing that irradiation can be used to sterilize contaminated food without resolving

1560-471: The dawn of agriculture . Others were discovered more recently. Boiling liquids can kill any existing microbes. Milk and water are often boiled to kill any harmful microbes that may be present in them. Burial of food can preserve it due to a variety of factors: lack of light, lack of oxygen, cool temperatures, pH level, or desiccants in the soil. Burial may be combined with other methods such as salting or fermentation. Most foods can be preserved in soil that

1625-473: The US and Canada. There are also commercial PEF potato applications in various countries in Europe, as well as in Australia, India, and China. Modifying atmosphere is a way to preserve food by operating on the atmosphere around it. It is often used to package: This process subjects the surface of food to a "flame" of ionized gas molecules, such as helium or nitrogen. This causes micro-organisms to die off on

1690-414: The addition of other acidic elements. Low-acid foods, such as vegetables and meats, require pressure canning. Food preserved by canning or bottling is at immediate risk of spoilage once the can or bottle has been opened. Lack of quality control in the canning process may allow ingress of water or micro-organisms. Most such failures are rapidly detected as decomposition within the can cause gas production and

1755-414: The air. This chemical process continues during frozen storage, though more slowly at lower temperature. Oxidative rancidity can be prevented by light-proof packaging, oxygen-free atmosphere (air-tight containers) and by the addition of antioxidants . A double bond of an unsaturated fatty acid can be oxidised by oxygen from the air in reactions catalysed by plant or animal lipoxygenase enzymes, producing

1820-498: The board, but had no day-to-day control. In early 2003, CPK reported a 16% increase in profits, with Hipp telling analysts that CPK was in excellent financial condition. In a March 25, 2003, press release, CPK cut its first-quarter earnings estimates, which were not consistent with the forecast made just a few weeks earlier. Rosenfield investigated the numbers and discovered the positive earnings numbers Hipp had been touting were masking difficult quarters ahead. An emergency board meeting

1885-496: The can will swell or burst. However, there have been examples of poor manufacture (underprocessing) and poor hygiene allowing contamination of canned food by the obligate anaerobe Clostridium botulinum , which produces an acute toxin within the food, leading to severe illness or death. This organism produces no gas or obvious taste and remains undetected by taste or smell. Its toxin is denatured by cooking, however. Cooked mushrooms , when handled poorly and then canned, can support

1950-451: The company expanded throughout Southern California. By 1992, there were 26 CPKs. Flax and Rosenfield served as co-CEO and co-chairmen of CPK from 1985 through to 1996. In 1992, PepsiCo paid nearly $ 100 million for 67% of the chain, with Flax and Rosenfield each receiving $ 17.5 million. At the time, this was thought to be more than CPK was worth, and PepsiCo pushed to expand faster. CPK opened 15 stores in 1993, and then 28 more in

2015-563: The complex, less flavorful proteins and fats into simpler, more flavorful ones. Canning involves cooking food, sealing it in sterilized cans or jars, and boiling the containers to kill or weaken any remaining bacteria as a form of sterilization . It was invented by the French confectioner Nicolas Appert . By 1806, this process was used by the French Navy to preserve meat, fruit, vegetables, and even milk. Although Appert had discovered

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2080-501: The consumer level, is that vacuum sealing can deform contents and rob certain foods, such as cheese, of its flavor. Freeze drying , also known as lyophilization or cryodesiccation, is a low temperature dehydration process that involves freezing the product and lowering pressure, thereby removing the ice by sublimation . This is in contrast to dehydration by most conventional methods that evaporate water using heat. Preservative food additives can be antimicrobial – which inhibit

2145-498: The era of mechanical refrigeration, cooling for food storage occurred in the forms of root cellars and iceboxes . Rural people often did their own ice cutting , whereas town and city dwellers often relied on the ice trade . Today, root cellaring remains popular among people who value various goals, including local food , heirloom crops , traditional home cooking techniques , family farming , frugality , self-sufficiency , organic farming , and others. The earliest form of curing

2210-417: The flavors can be desirable (as in aged cheeses ). Rancidification can also detract from the nutritional value of food, as some vitamins are sensitive to oxidation. Similar to rancidification, oxidative degradation also occurs in other hydrocarbons, such as lubricating oils , fuels , and mechanical cutting fluids . Five pathways for rancidification are recognized: Hydrolytic rancidity refers to

2275-444: The following year. This rapid expansion plan was a disaster. PepsiCo had invested tens of millions of dollars and quickly slowed expansion, and moved to cut costs. PepsiCo executives had started cutting corners by replacing fresh ingredients with frozen vegetables and cheese, a change Flax and Rosenfield later reversed. In 1997, the private equity firm Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Company bought out PepsiCo's two-thirds stake with

2340-539: The food being preserved becomes saturated with the pickling agent. Common chemically pickled foods include cucumbers , peppers , corned beef , herring , and eggs , as well as mixed vegetables such as piccalilli . In fermentation pickling, bacteria in the liquid produce organic acids as preservation agents, typically by a process that produces lactic acid through the presence of lactobacillales . Fermented pickles include sauerkraut , nukazuke , kimchi , and surströmming . The earliest cultures have used sugar as

2405-453: The food will remain safe from microbial spoilage." Sugar is used to preserve fruits, either in an antimicrobial syrup with fruit such as apples, pears, peaches, apricots, and plums, or in crystallized form where the preserved material is cooked in sugar to the point of crystallization and the resultant product is then stored dry. This method is used for the skins of citrus fruit (candied peel), angelica , and ginger . Sugaring can be used in

2470-642: The food, which will change its flavor and texture. Lutefisk uses lye in its preparation, as do some olive recipes. Modern recipes for century eggs also call for lye. Pickling is a method of preserving food in an edible, antimicrobial liquid. Pickling can be broadly classified into two categories: chemical pickling and fermentation pickling. In chemical pickling, the food is placed in an edible liquid that inhibits or kills bacteria and other microorganisms. Typical pickling agents include brine (high in salt), vinegar , alcohol , and vegetable oil . Many chemical pickling processes also involve heating or boiling so that

2535-431: The freezer, but potatoes themselves require only a cool dark place to ensure many months' storage. Cold stores provide large-volume, long-term storage for strategic food stocks held in case of national emergency in many countries. Heating to temperatures which are sufficient to kill microorganisms inside the food is a method used with perpetual stews . Food may be preserved by cooking in a material that solidifies to form

2600-492: The fruit used. In English, the word preserves , in plural form, is used to describe all types of jams and jellies. In rural Afghanistan , grapes are preserved in disc-shaped vessels made of mud and straw, called kangina . The vessels, which can preserve fresh grapes for up to 6 months, passively control their internal environments to restrict gas exchange and water loss, prolonging the lives of late-harvested grapes stored within them. Meat can be preserved by jugging. Jugging

2665-532: The fruit's moisture content and to kill bacteria, etc.), sugaring (to prevent their re-growth) and sealing within an airtight jar (to prevent recontamination). Different food preservation methods have different impacts on the quality of the food and food systems. Some traditional methods of preserving food have been shown to have a lower energy input and carbon footprint compared to modern methods. Some methods of food preservation are also known to create carcinogens . Some techniques of food preservation pre-date

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2730-475: The growth of Staphylococcus aureus , which produces a toxin that is not destroyed by canning or subsequent reheating. Meat can be preserved by salting it, cooking it at or near 100 °C (212 °F) in some kind of fat (such as lard or tallow ), and then storing it immersed in the fat. These preparations were popular in Europe before refrigerators became ubiquitous. They are still popular in France, where

2795-613: The growth of bacteria or fungi , including mold – or antioxidant , such as oxygen absorbers , which inhibit the oxidation of food constituents. Common antimicrobial preservatives include nisin , sorbates , calcium propionate , sodium nitrate / nitrite , sulfites ( sulfur dioxide , sodium bisulfite , potassium hydrogen sulfite , etc.), EDTA , hinokitiol , and ε-polylysine . Antioxidants include tocopherols (Vitamin E), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Other preservatives include ethanol . There

2860-411: The intention of taking CPK public in 2000, pushing for expansion to resume. Veteran restaurant executive Fred Hipp was hired to run CPK with an aggressive expansion plan, including 18 new stores in 2002, 22 in 2003, and 28 in 2004. The expansion was to be carried out by former Brinker International Vice President Tom Jenneman, under the title of chief development officer . Flax and Rosenfield remained on

2925-456: The odor that develops when triglycerides are hydrolyzed and free fatty acids are released. This reaction of lipid with water may require a catalyst (such as a lipase , or acidic or alkaline conditions) leading to the formation of free fatty acids and glycerol . In particular, short-chain fatty acids , such as butyric acid , are malodorous . When short-chain fatty acids are produced, they serve as catalysts themselves, further accelerating

2990-451: The onset or slow the development of rancidity due to oxidation. Natural antioxidants include ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and tocopherols (vitamin E). Synthetic antioxidants include butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), TBHQ , propyl gallate and ethoxyquin . The natural antioxidants tend to be short-lived, so synthetic antioxidants are used when a longer shelf-life

3055-449: The oxidation curve (the point where a rapid rise in the conductivity starts) gives the induction time of the rancidification reaction, and can be taken as an indication of the oxidative stability of the sample. The Rancimat method, the oxidative stability instrument (OSI) and the oxidograph were all developed as automatic versions of the more complicated AOM (active oxygen method), which is based on measuring peroxide values for determining

3120-411: The process takes place through a chain reaction , the oxidation reaction has a period when it is relatively slow, before it suddenly speeds up. The time for this to happen is called the "induction time", and it is repeatable under identical conditions (temperature, air flow, etc.). There are a number of ways to measure the progress of the oxidation reaction. One of the most popular methods currently in use

3185-400: The production of jam and jelly . Techniques of food preservation were developed in research laboratories for commercial applications. Aseptic processing works by placing sterilized food (typically by heat, see ultra-high temperature processing ) into sterlized packaging material under sterile conditions. The result is a sealed, sterile food product similar to canned food, but depending on

3250-478: The production of beer and wine. Water was visually inspected, smelled, tasted, filtered, and boiled if necessary. It was used for drinking as well as for diluting wine, cooking, and many other processes. Freezing is also one of the most commonly used processes, both commercially and domestically, for preserving a very wide range of foods, including prepared foods that would not have required freezing in their unprepared state. For example, potato waffles are stored in

3315-407: The rate of reaction of fats with oxygen. Antimicrobial agents can also delay or prevent rancidification by inhibiting the growth of bacteria or other micro-organisms that affect the process. Oxygen scavenging technology can be used to remove oxygen from food packaging and therefore prevent oxidative rancidification. Oxidative stability is a measure of oil or fat resistance to oxidation. Because

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3380-403: The reaction, a form of autocatalysis . Oxidative rancidity is associated with the degradation by oxygen in the air. The double bonds of an unsaturated fatty acid can be cleaved by free-radical reactions involving molecular oxygen. This reaction causes the release of malodorous and highly volatile aldehydes and ketones . Because of the nature of free-radical reactions, the reaction

3445-483: The remaining bacteria from growing. The milk is then stored in sterilized bottles or pouches in cold places. This method was invented by Louis Pasteur , a French chemist, in 1862. Vacuum-packing stores food in a vacuum environment, usually in an air-tight bag or bottle. The vacuum environment strips bacteria of oxygen needed for survival. Vacuum-packing is commonly used for storing nuts to reduce loss of flavor from oxidization. A major drawback to vacuum packaging, at

3510-487: The ripening and spoiling of fruits, and at higher doses induce sterility. The technology may be compared to pasteurization ; it is sometimes called "cold pasteurization", as the product is not heated. Irradiation may allow lower-quality or contaminated foods to be rendered marketable. National and international expert bodies have declared food irradiation as "wholesome"; organizations of the United Nations , such as

3575-402: The scientific community, there is little data on the health effects of rancidity or lipid oxidation in humans. Animal studies show evidence of organ damage, inflammation, carcinogenesis, and advanced atherosclerosis, although typically the dose of oxidized lipids is larger than what would be consumed by humans. Antioxidants are often used as preservatives in fat-containing foods to delay

3640-440: The specific controlled conditions that will support the desirable organisms that produce food fit for human consumption. Fermentation is the microbial conversion of starch and sugars into alcohol. Not only can fermentation produce alcohol, but it can also be a valuable preservation technique. Fermentation can also make foods more nutritious and palatable. Water was also turned into alcoholic beverages through fermentation. When water

3705-434: The surface. High pressure can be used to disable harmful microorganisms and spoilage enzymes while retaining the food's fresh appearance, flavor, texture and nutrients. By 2005, the process was being used for products ranging from orange juice to guacamole to deli meats and widely sold. Depending on temperature and pressure settings, HP processing can achieve either pasteurization-equivalent log reduction or go all

3770-423: The technique used, damage to food quality is typically reduced compared to canned food. A greater variety of packaging materials can be used as well. Besides UHT, aseptic processing may be used in conjunction with any of the microbe-reduction technologies listed below. With pasteurization and "high pressure pasteurization", the food may not be completely sterilized (instead achieving a specified log reduction ), but

3835-573: The term originates. The preparation will keep longer if stored in a cold cellar or buried in cold ground. Cooling preserves food by slowing down the growth and reproduction of microorganisms and the action of enzymes that causes the food to rot. The introduction of commercial and domestic refrigerators drastically improved the diets of many in the Western world by allowing food such as fresh fruit, salads and dairy products to be stored safely for longer periods, particularly during warm weather. Before

3900-432: The underlying cause of the contamination. International legislation on whether food may be irradiated or not varies worldwide from no regulation to a full ban. Approximately 500,000 tons of food items are irradiated per year worldwide in over 40 countries. These are mainly spices and condiments , with an increasing segment of fresh fruit irradiated for fruit fly quarantine. Pulsed electric field (PEF) electroporation

3965-426: The use of sterile packaging and environments is retained. Pasteurization is a process for preservation of liquid food. It was originally applied to combat the souring of young local wines. Today, the process is mainly applied to dairy products. In this method, milk is heated at about 70 °C (158 °F) for 15–30 seconds to kill the bacteria present in it and cooling it quickly to 10 °C (50 °F) to prevent

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4030-504: The way to achieve sterilization of all microbes. Rancidification Rancidification is the process of complete or incomplete autoxidation or hydrolysis of fats and oils when exposed to air, light, moisture, or bacterial action, producing short-chain aldehydes , ketones and free fatty acids . When these processes occur in food, undesirable odors and flavors can result. In processed meats, these flavors are collectively known as warmed-over flavor . In certain cases, however,

4095-497: Was assigned to Nestlé after it purchased Kraft's pizza lines in 2010. In 1985, Flax and Rosenfield pooled $ 200,000 in bank loans and savings along with $ 350,000 invested from friends to lease space on Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, California. The first menu, including the famous BBQ Chicken Pizza, was developed by Ed LaDou , then the pizza chef at Wolfgang Puck 's Spago restaurant. CPK became an immediate success, and

4160-733: Was called, Hipp and Jenneman were fired, and Flax and Rosenfield resumed control of CPK. Flax and Rosenfield served as co-CEO and co-chairmen of CPK from 2003 to 2011. In 2011, CPK was acquired by an affiliate of private equity firm Golden Gate Capital , and G. J. Hart was named president, chief executive officer, and executive chairman. In 2013, CPK started serving Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) certified gluten-free pizzas, available across all CPK locations, excluding franchise locations. In 2014, CPK started rolling out their "Next Chapter" locations, with modernized interiors and updated menus. In 2018, CPK added Cauliflower Pizza Crust to its menu nationwide. In July 2020, CPK filed for bankruptcy due to

4225-495: Was dehydration or drying , used as early as 12,000   BC. Smoking and salting techniques improve on the drying process and add antimicrobial agents that aid in preservation. Smoke deposits a number of pyrolysis products onto the food, including the phenols syringol , guaiacol and catechol . Salt accelerates the drying process using osmosis and also inhibits the growth of several common strains of bacteria. More recently nitrites have been used to cure meat, contributing

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