Effect of Muscle Type on Residual Nitrite in Cured Meat

When a cured meat model system was made from white muscle it contained less residual nitrite than if it were made from a red muscle; this effect is due to the lower pH of white muscle. If the pH of red and white muscle is similar then the slightly lower residual nitrite in products made from red muscle probably is due to the greater content of myoglobin in red muscle.