The funny thing is that sodium nitrite must be buffered when used in cured meats, usually by an analog of Vitamin C. You end up with less free/reactive nitrite in conventional salami, bacon, etc. than in products made with celery juice, which is nitrite-rich and not buffered.

I don't think the occasional treat of either is a big deal. You just can't eat salami on white bread every day for the rest of your life.

We get Applegate salami.

Whole Foods and some of the brands at Trader Joes are nitrite/nitrate free. My son loves it and will down a ton of it if I don't watch him.

I buy Applegate. Hardly the perfect food, but it's a nice treat from time to time. (My kids have to fight me for it.)

Anonymous wrote:I see other kids' lunches with pepperoni and salami, etc.. we are far from health food nuts.. but I thought all that was full of nitrates or something like that. is there a particular brand of pepperoni or salami that you buy for the kids (that tastes good?) My DD loves eating the hormel pepperoni straight from the bag, but I try to limit it because I thought it was pretty bad for her. ?? Thanks!

I buy salami and pepperoni at the deli counter at Whole Foods-still has a lot of sodium but it is free of the nitrates/nitrites

I see other kids' lunches with pepperoni and salami, etc.. we are far from health food nuts.. but I thought all that was full of nitrates or something like that. is there a particular brand of pepperoni or salami that you buy for the kids (that tastes good?) My DD loves eating the hormel pepperoni straight from the bag, but I try to limit it because I thought it was pretty bad for her. ?? Thanks!