Waitrose has become the first supermarket to reduce its nitrates across its complete own-label bacon and gammon ‘without compromising on taste or quality’.
Nitrites are a preservative, responsible for producing bacon and gammon’s characteristic flavour, texture, taste and colour, but removing it completely would reclassify it as ‘salty pork’.
The move comes in response to growing public awareness surrounding nitrites after a World Health Organisation (WHO) report recommended limiting these in the diet.
Amy Trobridge, pork buyer at Waitrose & Partners, said: “We know many of our customers love a bacon sandwich or the occasional full English. This change means that they can enjoy great tasting, high welfare bacon with reduced nitrite levels. Our updated range doesn’t come at any additional cost to our customers either.”
