Scientists have developed processed red meat that includes added natural substitutes which reduces the carcinogenic compound nitrite added to preserve meats. The range of sausages and hams had a mixture of plants and fruits added to them which included rosemary, green tea, and resveratrol — an extract taken from Japanese Knotweed.

The fast-growing plant, feared by homeowners for its ability to invade gardens and buildings, contains a chemical which could take the place of the nitrite preservative in cured meats such as bacon and sausages.

Diets high in nitrite have been linked to a higher risk of colorectal cancers — leading scientists, including at the University of Reading, to look for alternatives.

The PHYTOME project has developed processed red meat that includes added natural substitutes which reduces the carcinogenic compound nitrite added to preserve meats. The range of sausages and hams had a mixture of plants and fruits added to them which included rosemary, green tea, and resveratrol — an extract taken from Japanese Knotweed.

As well as developing versions of cooked and dry cured red meats which replaced nitrite with these natural alternatives, the project also tested whether those substitutes would have an effect alongside normal nitrite levels found in processed red meats.

In a paper published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, the international team of scientists have tested the specially formulated products against conventionally processed red meat as well as white meat.

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