NITRIFREE - Development of meat products without nitrifying agents, based on zinc protoporphyrin

The NITRIFREE project aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of an innovative biotechnology based on the production of a colouring agent that eliminates the need for nitrifying agents — which must be labelled as E-249 to E-251 — in the production of cured and cooked meat products. This ingredient, which is not considered an additive, is obtained from minced livers which, when incubated under controlled conditions, generate zinc protoporphyrin, a natural red pigment also found in products such as Parma ham produced without nitrifying agents.

Although the technology for producing this pigment has already been described and is relatively straightforward, its utility and efficacy on an industrial scale in the development of ‘clean label’ meat products—that is, those free from additives—still need to be demonstrated. For this reason, the project is aimed at the entire meat industry, with a particular focus on abattoirs – which have surplus liver – food ingredient producers and meat product manufacturers seeking to innovate and differentiate themselves in the market.

The main objective is to demonstrate to the meat industry the possibilities for obtaining and applying this new colouring ingredient based on zinc protoporphyrin, with the aim of producing meat products without nitrates and with improved consumer perception characteristics.

Action of the Strategic Plan of the PAC 2023-2027 co-funded by: