Nitrite in organic sausages
Nitrite is a food additive added to sausages in order to improve flavour, colour and to prevent botulism, a lethal disease. At high temperatures nitrite can transform into nitrosamines, which cause cancer.
From 2008 the EU directive on food additives 95/2/EC permits the use of limited amounts of nitrite in organic sausages in all EU countries, but the amount is limited.