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85-592: Bacon is a type of salt-cured pork made from various cuts , typically the belly or less fatty parts of the back. It is eaten as a side dish (particularly in breakfasts ), used as a central ingredient (e.g., the BLT sandwich ), or as a flavouring or accent. Regular bacon consumption is associated with increased mortality and other health concerns. Bacon is also used for barding and larding roasts, especially game, including venison and pheasant , and may also be used to insulate or flavour roast joints by being layered onto

170-724: A 2018 study by the British Meat Producers Association determined that legally permitted levels of nitrite have no effect on the growth of the Clostridium botulinum bacteria which causes botulism, which in line with the UK’s Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food opinion that nitrites are not required to prevent C. botulinum growth and extend shelf life . The combination of table salt with nitrates or nitrites, called curing salt ,

255-550: A balanced diet which is culturally appropriate. These recommendation are different from dietary reference values which provide information about the prevention of nutrient deficiencies. Exclusionary diets are diets with certain groups or specific types of food avoided, either due to health considerations or by choice. Many do not eat food from animal sources to varying degrees (e.g. flexitarianism , pescetarianism , vegetarianism , and veganism ) for health reasons, issues surrounding morality, or to reduce their personal impact on

340-424: A base for cooking and as an all-purpose flavouring, for everything from gravy to cornbread to salad dressing . In Germany, Griebenschmalz is a popular spread made from bacon lard. Bacon is often used for a cooking technique called barding consisting of laying or wrapping strips of bacon or other fats over a roast to provide additional fat to a lean piece of meat. It is often used for roast game birds , and

425-416: A concentration of salt of nearly 20%. In sausage production, salt causes the soluble proteins to come to the surface of the meat that was used to make the sausages. These proteins coagulate when the sausage is heated, helping to hold the sausage together. The sugar added to meat for the purpose of curing it comes in many forms, including honey , corn syrup solids, and maple syrup . However, with

510-570: A constantly growing population often living in appalling conditions drove scientific research, but a confectioner , Nicolas Appert , in 1795 developed through experimentation a method which became universal and in one language bears his name: airtight storage, called appertisation in French. With the spread of appertisation , the 19th-century world entered the era of the " food industry ", which developed new products such as canned salt meat (for example corned beef ). The desire for safer food led to

595-456: A crumble in a salad. Bacon bits are crumbled bacon in condiment form, typically commercially prepared and preserved for long shelf life . Bacon fat liquefies and becomes drippings when it is heated. Once cool, it firms into a form of lard . Bacon fat is flavourful and is used for various cooking purposes. Traditionally, bacon grease is saved in British and southern US cuisine , and used as

680-470: A cut of bacon, known as the 'bacon rind', varies, though is less common in the English-speaking world. The most common form sold is middle bacon , which includes some of the streaky, fatty section of side bacon along with a portion of the loin of back bacon. In response to increasing consumer diet -consciousness, some supermarkets also offer the loin section only. This is sold as short cut bacon and

765-430: A foul odor. Ingestion can cause serious food poisoning . Salt-curing processes were developed in antiquity in order to ensure food safety without relying on then unknown anti-bacterial agents. The short shelf life of fresh meat does not pose significant problems when access to it is easy and supply is abundant. But in times of scarcity and famine, or when the meat must be transported over long distances, food preservation

850-530: A large export income from their hams, which were so succulent, they were in no way inferior to those of Cantabria . These tarichos of pig became especially sought, to the point that the ancients considered this meat the most nourishing of all and the easiest to digest. In Ethiopia , according to Pliny, and in Libya according to Saint Jerome , the Acridophages (literally, the locust-eaters) salted and smoked

935-400: A parasitic roundworm which can be destroyed by heating, freezing, drying, or smoking. Sodium polyphosphates, such as sodium triphosphate , may also be added to make the product easier to slice and to reduce spattering when the bacon is pan-fried. Bacon type differs depending on the primal cut of pork from which it is prepared, which reflects local preference. The inclusion of skin with

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1020-554: A part of religious traditions: resulting meat for offerings to the gods was salted before being given to priests, after which it could be picked up again by the offerer, or even sold in the butcher 's. A trade in salt meat occurred across ancient Europe. In Polybius 's time ( c. 200 – c. 118 BCE), the Gauls exported salt pork each year to Rome in large quantities, where it was sold in different cuts : rear cuts, middle cuts, hams, and sausages. This meat, after having been salted with

1105-559: A person's dietary intake, or "going on a diet", can change the energy balance, and increase or decrease the amount of fat stored by the body. The terms "healthy diet" and "diet for weight management" ( dieting ) are often related, as the two promote healthy weight management. If a person is overweight or obese, changing to a diet and lifestyle that allows them to burn more calories than they consume may improve their overall health, possibly preventing diseases that are attributed in part to weight, including heart disease and diabetes . Within

1190-433: A pink colour. Nitrate is specifically used only in a few curing conditions and products where nitrite (which may be generated from nitrate) must be generated in the product over long periods of time. Nitrite further breaks down in the meat into nitric oxide (NO), which then binds to the iron atom in the center of myoglobin's heme group, reducing oxidation and causing a reddish-brown color (nitrosomyoglobin) when raw and

1275-468: A problem, permitting the exportation of meats. For example, the appearance in the 1980s of preservation techniques under controlled atmosphere sparked a small revolution in the world's market for sheep meat: the lamb of New Zealand , one of the world's largest exporters of lamb, could henceforth be sold as fresh meat, since it could be preserved from 12 to 16 weeks, which was a sufficient duration for it to reach Europe by boat. Before, meat from New Zealand

1360-454: A rather important ingredient of various southern German dishes. They are used for adding flavour to soups and salads and for Speck dumplings and various noodle and potato dishes. Instead of preparing them at home from larger slices, they have been sold ready made as convenience foods recently as Baconwürfel ("bacon cubes") in German retail stores. In Japan, bacon (ベーコン) is pronounced "bēkon". It

1445-522: A sign of major medical problems including thyroid issues and cancer among other diseases . An eating disorder is a mental disorder that interferes with normal food consumption. It is defined by abnormal eating habits, and thoughts about food that may involve eating much more or much less than needed. Common eating disorders include anorexia nervosa , bulimia nervosa , and binge-eating disorder . Eating disorders affect people of every gender , age, socioeconomic status , and body size. Agriculture

1530-459: A survey conducted by Smithfield, 65% of Americans would support bacon as their "national food". Dishes such as bacon explosion , chicken fried bacon , and chocolate-covered bacon have been popularised over the Internet, as has the use of candied bacon. Recipes spread quickly through both countries' national media , culinary blogs , and YouTube . Celebrity chef Bobby Flay has endorsed a "Bacon of

1615-527: A tendency to stick to the pan. "Macon" is produced by curing cuts of mutton in a manner similar to the production of pork bacon. Historically produced in Scotland , it was introduced across Britain during World War II as a consequence of rationing. It is today available as an alternative to bacon, produced for the Muslim market and sold at halal butchers; it is largely similar in appearance to pork bacon except for

1700-421: Is ready to eat , as is some smoked bacon, but they may be cooked further before eating. Differing flavours can be achieved by using various types of wood, or less common fuels such as corn cobs or peat . This process can take up to eighteen hours, depending on the intensity of the flavour desired. The Virginia Housewife (1824), thought to be one of the earliest American cookbooks, gives no indication that bacon

1785-934: Is a driver of environmental degradation , such as biodiversity loss , climate change , desertification , soil degradation and pollution . The food system as a whole – including refrigeration, food processing, packaging, and transport – accounts for around one-quarter of greenhouse gas emissions . More sustainable dietary choices can be made to reduce the impact of the food system on the environment. These choices may involve reducing consumption of meat and dairy products and instead eating more plant-based foods, and eating foods grown through sustainable farming practices. Some cultures and religions have restrictions concerning what foods are acceptable in their diet. For example, only Kosher foods are permitted in Judaism , and Halal foods in Islam . Although Buddhists are generally vegetarians ,

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1870-414: Is a traditional method of preparing beef filet mignon , which is wrapped in strips of bacon before cooking. The bacon itself may afterwards be discarded or served to eat, like cracklings . It may also be cut into lardons . One teaspoon (4 g or 0.14 oz) of bacon grease has 38 calories (40 kJ/g). It is composed almost completely of fat, with very little additional nutritional value. Bacon fat

1955-408: Is also a long cut, curving round on itself, known as "middle bacon", which is back bacon at one end, and streaky at the other, as well as less common cuts. Bacon is also sold and served as joints, usually boiled, broiled or roast, or in thicker slices called chops or steaks. These are usually eaten as part of other meals. Bacon may be cured in several ways, and may be smoked or unsmoked; unsmoked bacon

2040-409: Is also a wide range of other bacon-flavoured products, including a bacon-flavoured salt ( Bacon Salt ), Baconnaise (a bacon-flavoured mayonnaise), Bacon Grill (a tinned meat, similar to Spam ) and bacon ice cream . Curing (food preservation) Meat preservation in general (of meat from livestock , game , and poultry ) comprises the set of all treatment processes for preserving

2125-472: Is an extremely rare disease (less than 1000 cases per year reported worldwide) and is almost always associated with home preparations of preserved food. For example, all Parma ham has been made without nitrites since 1993, but was reported in 2018 to have caused no cases of botulism. Furthermore, while the FDA has set a limit of 200 ppm of nitrates for cured meat, they are not allowed and not recognized as safe by

2210-498: Is cured and smoked belly meat as in the US, and is sold in either regular or half-length sizes. Bacon in Japan is different from that in the US in that the meat is not sold raw, but is processed, precooked and has a ham-like consistency when cooked. Uncured, sliced pork belly, known as bara (バラ), is very popular in Japan and is used in a variety of dishes (e.g. yakitori and yakiniku ). Back bacon

2295-402: Is cured with salt alone. Today, potassium nitrate (KNO 3 ) and sodium nitrite (NaNO 2 ) (in conjunction with salt) are the most common agents in curing meat, because they bond to the myoglobin and act as a substitute for oxygen , thus turning myoglobin red. More recent evidence shows that these chemicals also inhibit the growth of the bacteria that cause the disease botulism . Yet,

2380-481: Is defined as coming from the hind portion of the pig and brine specifically for curing ham includes a greater amount of sugar, while bacon is less sweet, though ingredients such as brown sugar or maple syrup are used for flavour. Bacon is similar to salt pork , which in modern times is often prepared from similar cuts, but salt pork is never smoked, and has a much higher salt content. For safety, bacon may be treated to prevent trichinosis , caused by Trichinella ,

2465-419: Is ever not smoked, though it gives no advice on flavouring, noting only that care should be taken lest the fire get too hot. Bacon is distinguished from other salt-cured pork by differences in the cuts of meat used and in the brine or dry packing. Historically, the terms " ham " and "bacon" referred to different cuts of meat that were brined or packed identically, often together in the same barrel. Today, ham

2550-539: Is known as "green bacon". Fried or grilled bacon rashers are included in the "traditional" full breakfast . Hot bacon sandwiches are a popular cafe dish throughout the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland , and are anecdotally recommended as a hangover cure . Bacon is often served with eggs and sausages as part of a full English breakfast . The term bacon on its own generally refers to side bacon, which

2635-419: Is lower in fat and food energy than bacon, but is used similarly. The meat for turkey bacon comes from the whole turkey, which is chopped and reformed into strips to resemble bacon, and can be cured or uncured, or smoked . Turkey bacon is cooked by pan-frying. Cured turkey bacon made from dark meat can be less than 10% fat. The low fat content of turkey bacon means it does not shrink while being cooked and has

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2720-433: Is more commonly used as a topping in the US on such items as pizza , salads , sandwiches , hamburgers , baked potatoes , hot dogs , and soups . In the US, sliced smoked back bacon is used less frequently than the streaky variety, but can sometimes be found on pizza, salads, and omelettes . Bacon is also used as an accent in dishes, such as bacon-topped meatloaf , sautéed crisp and crumbled into green beans , or as

2805-406: Is necessary. Curing significantly increases the length of time meat remains edible, by making it inhospitable to the growth of microbes. Salt ( sodium chloride ) is the primary ingredient used in meat curing. Removal of water and addition of salt to meat creates a solute -rich environment where osmotic pressure draws water out of microorganisms, slowing down their growth. Doing this requires

2890-556: Is often dyed pink to distinguish it from table salt. Neither table salt nor any of the nitrites or nitrates commonly used in curing (e.g., sodium nitrate [NaNO 3 ], sodium nitrite, and potassium nitrate ) is naturally pink. Meat decomposes rapidly if it is not preserved. The speed of decomposition depends on several factors, including ambient humidity , temperature, and the presence of pathogens . Most types of untreated meat cannot be kept at room temperature for lengthy periods before spoiling. Spoiled meat changes color and exudes

2975-810: Is popular in southern Ontario . Bacon is often eaten in breakfasts, such as with cooked eggs or pancakes. Maple syrup is often used as a flavouring while curing bacon in Canada. Some of the meanings of bacon overlap with the German-language term Speck . Germans use the term bacon explicitly for Frühstücksspeck ('breakfast Speck ') which are cured or smoked pork slices. Traditional German cold cuts favour ham over bacon; however, Wammerl (grilled pork belly) remains popular in Bavaria. Small bacon cubes (called Grieben or Grammerln in Austria and southern Germany) have been

3060-477: Is roughly 40% saturated . Despite the likely health risks of excessive bacon grease consumption, it remains popular in the cuisine of the American South . One 10-g slice of cooked side bacon contains 4.5 g of fat, 3.0 g of protein, and 205 mg of sodium. The fat, protein, and sodium content varies depending on the cut and cooking method. 68% of the food energy of bacon comes from fat, almost half of which

3145-605: Is saturated. A serving of three slices of bacon contains 30 milligrams of cholesterol (0.1%). Studies have consistently found the consumption of processed meat to be linked to increased mortality , and to an increased risk of developing a number of serious health conditions including cancer , cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes . As bacon is very high in salt, it comes with all the negative health effects associated with high salt intake. Bacon can contain nitrites, which can form carcinogenic nitroso -compounds such as S-Nitrosothiols , nitrosyl- heme and nitrosamines . In

3230-515: Is the most common form in Great Britain and Ireland , and is the usual meaning of the plain term "bacon". A thin slice of bacon is known as a rasher ; about 70% of bacon is sold as rashers. Heavily trimmed back cuts which consist of just the eye of meat, known as a medallion , are also available. All types may be unsmoked or smoked. The side cut normal in America is known as "streaky bacon", and there

3315-613: Is the most popular type of bacon sold in the US. Back bacon is known as "Canadian bacon" or "Canadian-style bacon", and is usually sold pre-cooked and thick-sliced. American bacons include varieties smoked with hickory , mesquite or applewood and flavourings such as maple , brown sugar , honey , or molasses . A side of unsliced bacon is known as "slab bacon". USDA regulations only recognise bacon as "cured" if it has been treated with synthetic nitrites or nitrates (e.g. sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate ). This means that bacon cured with nitrites derived from celery or beets (which has

3400-626: Is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism . The word diet often implies the use of specific intake of nutrition for health or weight-management reasons (with the two often being related). Although humans are omnivores , each culture and each person holds some food preferences or some food taboos. This may be due to personal tastes or ethical reasons. Individual dietary choices may be more or less healthy. Complete nutrition requires ingestion and absorption of vitamins , minerals , essential amino acids from protein and essential fatty acids from fat-containing food, also food energy in

3485-430: Is usually priced slightly higher than middle bacon. Both varieties are usually available with the rind removed. In Canada, the term bacon on its own typically refers to side bacon. Canadian-style back bacon is a lean cut from the eye of the pork loin with little surrounding fat. Peameal bacon is an unsmoked back bacon, wet-cured and coated in fine-ground cornmeal (historically, it was rolled in ground, dried peas ); it

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3570-615: The Houston Chronicle , argues the case of bacon's American citizenship by referring to historical and geographical uses of bacon. Early American literature echoes the sentiment—in Ebenezer Cooke 's 1708 poem The Sot-Weed Factor , a satire of life in early colonial America, the narrator already complains that practically all the food in America was bacon-infused. As of December 2016, the U.S. national frozen pork belly inventory totaled 17.8 million lb (8.1 million kg),

3655-566: The International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization classified processed meat, that is, meat that has undergone salting, curing, fermenting , or smoking, as " carcinogenic to humans". A survival technique since prehistory , the preservation of meat has become, over the centuries, a topic of political, economic, and social importance worldwide. Food curing dates back to ancient times, both in

3740-486: The World Health Organization in 2015, regular consumption of processed meats such as bacon increases the likelihood of developing colorectal cancers by 18%. Several alternatives to and substitutes for bacon have been developed for those who cannot or prefer not to eat standard pork bacon, including beef, chicken, turkey, bison, soy, and coconut bacon. Turkey bacon is consumed by some as an alternative to pork bacon for health benefits, religious laws, or other concerns. It

3825-445: The World Health Organization (WHO) advises that each 50 g (1.8 oz) of "processed meats" eaten a day would raise the risk of getting bowel cancer by 18% over a lifetime; "processed meat" refers to meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other processes to enhance flavour or improve preservation. The World Health Organization's review of more than 400 studies concluded, in 2015, that there

3910-465: The crickets which arrived at their settlements in the spring in great swarms and which constituted, it was said, their sole food. The smoking of meat was a traditional practice in North America, where Plains Indians hung their meat at the top of their tipis to increase the amount of smoke coming into contact with the food. In Europe, medieval cuisine made great use of meat and vegetables, and

3995-458: The navy . In the 18th century, salted Irish beef, transported in barrels, were considered finest. Scientific research on meat by chemists and pharmacists led to the creation of a new, extremely practical product: meat extract , which could appear in different forms. The need to properly feed soldiers during long campaigns outside the country, such as in the Napoleonic Wars , and to nourish

4080-494: The Academy of Medicine and his son issued a 34-page summary of works completed by 1857, which proposed some solutions: not less than 91 texts exist, of which 64 edited for only the years between 1851 and 1857. The improvement of methods of meat preservation, and of the means of transport of preserved products, has notably permitted the separation of areas of production and areas of consumption, which can now be distant without it posing

4165-459: The FDA in most other foods, even foods that are not cooked at high temperatures, such as cheese. Processed meats without "added nitrites" may be misleading as they may be using naturally occurring nitrites from celery instead. A 2019 report from Consumer Reports found that using celery (or other natural sources) as a curing agent introduced naturally occurring nitrates and nitrites. The USDA allows

4250-516: The Month" club online, in print, and on national television . Everything Tastes Better with Bacon , a 2002 book by Sara Perry, is a cookbook in which all dishes contain bacon. Commentators explain this surging interest in bacon by reference to what they deem American cultural characteristics . Sarah Hepola, in a 2008 article in Salon.com , suggests a number of reasons, one of them being that eating bacon in

4335-531: The USDA to change the labeling requirements in 2019. Meat can also be preserved by "smoking". If the smoke is hot enough to slow-cook the meat, this will also keep it tender. One method of smoking calls for a smokehouse with damp wood chips or sawdust . In North America , hardwoods such as hickory , mesquite , and maple are commonly used for smoking, as are the wood from fruit trees such as apple , cherry , and plum , and even corncobs . Smoking helps seal

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4420-628: The United States has given rise to a number of commercial products that promise to add bacon flavouring without the labour involved in cooking it. Bacon bits are a frequently used topping on salad or potatoes, and a common element of salad bars . They are usually salted. Bacon bits are made from small, crumbled pieces of bacon; in commercial plants they are cooked in continuous microwave ovens . Similar products are made from ham or turkey, and vegetarian substitutes are made from textured vegetable protein , artificially flavoured to resemble bacon. There

4505-441: The United States, sodium nitrite cannot exceed certain levels in bacon. Vitamin C (ascorbate) or sodium erythorbate can be added to bacon, which greatly reduces the formation of nitrosamines but has no effect on S-Nitrosothiols and nitrosyl- heme . Vitamin E ( tocopherol ) also reduces nitrosamine levels. Bacon fried at higher temperatures potentially has more nitrosamines than bacon fried at lower temperatures. According to

4590-439: The advent of modern preservation methods mean that in most developed countries today , curing is instead mainly practiced for its cultural value and desirable impact on the texture and taste of food. For less-developed countries , curing remains a key process in the production, transport and availability of meat. Some traditional cured meat (such as authentic Parma ham and some authentic Spanish chorizo and Italian salami )

4675-434: The characteristic cooked-ham pink color (nitrosohemochrome or nitrosyl-heme) when cooked. The addition of ascorbate to cured meat reduces formation of nitrosamines (see below), but increases the nitrosylation of iron. The use of nitrite and nitrate salts for meat in the US has been formally used since 1925. Because of the relatively high toxicity of nitrite (the lethal dose in humans is about 22 mg/kg of body weight),

4760-417: The consumption of pork. Vegetarian bacons such as "soy bacon" also exist. Before the advent of cheap and widespread artificial refrigeration in the modern era, the curing of meat was necessary for its safe long-term preservation. However, both the flavour imparted to the meat in doing so and the extended shelf life it offered had become much prized, and although curing is in general no longer necessary in

4845-445: The creation of the US's Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906, followed by the national agencies for health security and the establishment of food traceability over the course of the 20th century. It also led to continuing technological innovation. In France , the summer of 1857 was so hot that most butchers refused to slaughter animals and charcutiers lost considerable amounts of meat, due to inadequate conservation methods. A member of

4930-408: The critical period where the meat is not yet dry. This can be achieved, as with jerky , by slicing the meat thinly. The smoking of food directly with wood smoke is known to contaminate the food with carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons . Since the 20th century, with respect to the relationship between diet and human disease (e.g. cardiovascular, etc.), scientists have conducted studies on

5015-430: The darker colour. Vegetarian bacon, also referred to as facon , veggie bacon , or vacon , is a vegetarian "bacon" made from plant matter. It has no cholesterol, is low in fat, and contains large amounts of protein and fibre. Two slices contain about 310 kilojoules (74 kcal). Vegetarian bacon is usually made from marinated strips of textured soy protein or tempeh (fermented soybeans). The popularity of bacon in

5100-516: The developed world, it continues in wide use. Bacon is cured through either a process of injecting it with or soaking it in brine , known as wet curing, or rubbed with salt, known as dry curing. Bacon brine has added curing ingredients, most notably nitrites or nitrates , which speed the curing and stabilise colour. Cured bacon may then be dried for weeks or months in cold air, or it may be smoked or boiled . Fresh and dried bacon are typically cooked before eating, often by pan frying . Boiled bacon

5185-432: The effects of lipolysis on vacuum-packed or frozen meat. In particular, by analyzing entrecôtes of frozen beef during 270 days at −20 °C (−4 °F), scientists found an important phospholipase that accompanies the loss of some unsaturated fat n-3 and n-6, which are already low in the flesh of ruminants . Elevated levels of nitrites in preserved meats increase the risk of nasopharyngeal cancer . In 2015,

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5270-532: The environment (e.g. environmental vegetarianism ). People on a balanced vegetarian or vegan diet can obtain adequate nutrition, but may need to specifically focus on consuming specific nutrients, such as protein , iron , calcium , zinc , and vitamin B 12 . Raw foodism and intuitive eating are other approaches to dietary choices. Education, income, local availability, and mental health are all major factors for dietary choices. A particular diet may be chosen to promote weight loss or weight gain. Changing

5355-528: The exception of bacon, it does not contribute much to the flavor, but it does alleviate the harsh flavor of the salt. Sugar also contributes to the growth of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus by feeding them. Nitrates and nitrites extend shelf life, help kill bacteria, produce a characteristic flavor and give meat a pink or red color. Nitrite ( NO 2 ) is generally supplied by sodium nitrite or (indirectly) by potassium nitrate . Nitrite salts are most often used to accelerate curing and impart

5440-485: The form of smoked meat and salt-cured meat . Several sources describe the salting of meat in the ancient Mediterranean world. Diodore of Sicily in his Bibliotheca historica wrote that the Cosséens in the mountains of Persia salted the flesh of carnivorous animals. Strabo indicates that people at Borsippa were catching bats and salting them to eat. The ancient Greeks prepared tarichos ( τάριχος ), which

5525-496: The form of carbohydrate, protein, and fat. Dietary habits and choices play a significant role in the quality of life , health and longevity . A healthy diet can improve and maintain health, which can include aspects of mental and physical health. Specific diets, such as the DASH diet , can be used in treatment and management of chronic conditions. Dietary recommendations exist for many different countries, and they usually emphasise

5610-459: The greatest care, was sometimes smoked. These goods had to have been considerably important, since they fed part of the Roman people and the armies. The Belgae were celebrated above all for the care which they gave to the fattening of their pigs. Their herds of sheep and pigs were so many, they could provide skins and salt meat not only for Rome, but also for most of Italy. The Ceretani of Spain drew

5695-608: The guild of butchers was amongst the most powerful. During the 12th century, salt beef was consumed by all social classes. Smoked meat was called carbouclée in Romance tongues and bacon if it was pork. The Middle Ages made pâté a masterpiece: that which is, in the 21st century, merely spiced minced meat (or fish), baked in a terrine and eaten cold, was at that time composed of a dough envelope stuffed with varied meats and superbly decorated for ceremonial feasts. The first French recipe, written in verse by Gace de La Bigne , mentions in

5780-501: The inhabitants of Crete and Chios lightly salted then oven-dried entire hares , sheep, and roe deer cut into pieces, and that in Turkey , cattle and sheep, cut and minced rouelles, salted then dried, were eaten on voyages with onions and no other preparation. During the Age of Discovery , salt meat was one of the main foods for sailors on long voyages, for instance in the merchant marine or

5865-542: The lowest level in 50 years. Bacon dishes include bacon and eggs, bacon, lettuce, and tomato (BLT) sandwiches, Cobb salad , and various bacon-wrapped foods, such as scallops , shrimp , and asparagus . Recently invented bacon dishes include chicken fried bacon , chocolate covered bacon , bacon jerky , bacon ice cream and the bacon explosion . Tatws Pum Munud is a traditional Welsh stew, made with sliced potatoes, vegetables and smoked bacon. Bacon jam and bacon marmalade are also commercially available. Streaky bacon

5950-428: The main nitroso species being formed. The use of either compound is therefore regulated; for example, in the United States, the concentration of nitrates and nitrites is generally limited to 200 ppm or lower. The meat industry considers nitrites irreplaceable because they speed up curing and improve color while retarding the growth of Clostridium botulinum , the bacteria that causes botulism . Botulism, however,

6035-421: The maximum allowed nitrite concentration in US meat products is 200 ppm . Plasma nitrite is reduced in persons with endothelial dysfunction . Nitrite-containing processed meat is associated with increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. Adding nitrites to meat has been shown to generate known carcinogens such as nitrosamines, N-Nitrosamides and nitrosyl-heme, resulting from nitrosylation reactions;

6120-495: The meat is cooked at high temperatures, nitrite-cured meat products can also lead to the formation of nitrosamines. The effect is seen for red processed meat, but not for white meat or fish. Nitrates and nitrites may cause cancer and the production of carcinogenic nitrosamines can be potently inhibited by the use of the antioxidants vitamin C and the alpha-tocopherol form of vitamin E during curing. Under simulated gastric conditions, nitrosothiols rather than nitrosamines are

6205-461: The meat. The word is derived from the Proto-Germanic *bakkon , meaning "back meat". Meat from other animals, such as beef , lamb , chicken , goat , or turkey , may also be cut, cured, or otherwise prepared to resemble bacon, and may even be referred to as, for example, " turkey bacon ". Such use is common in areas with significant Jewish and Muslim populations as both religions prohibit

6290-405: The modern, health-conscious world is an act of rebellion: "Loving bacon is like shoving a middle finger in the face of all that is healthy and holy while an unfiltered cigarette smoulders between your lips." She also suggests bacon is sexy (with a reference to Sarah Katherine Lewis' book Sex and Bacon ), kitsch, and funny. Hepola concludes by saying that "Bacon is American". Alison Cook, writing in

6375-419: The outer layer of the food being cured, making it more difficult for bacteria to enter. It can be done in combination with other curing methods such as salting. Common smoking styles include hot smoking, smoke roasting (pit barbecuing) and cold smoking. Smoke roasting and hot smoking cook the meat while cold smoking does not. If the meat is cold smoked, it should be dried quickly to limit bacterial growth during

6460-411: The past 10 years, obesity rates have increased by almost 10%. Conversely, if a person is underweight due to illness or malnutrition , they may change their diet to promote weight gain. Intentional changes in weight, though often beneficial, can be potentially harmful to the body if they occur too rapidly. Unintentional rapid weight change can be caused by the body's reaction to some medications, or may be

6545-466: The properties, taste, texture, and color of raw, partially cooked, or cooked meats while keeping them edible and safe to consume. Curing has been the dominant method of meat preservation for thousands of years, although modern developments like refrigeration and synthetic preservatives have begun to complement and supplant it. While meat-preservation processes like curing were mainly developed in order to prevent disease and to increase food security ,

6630-511: The same chemical outcome) must be labelled "uncured" and include a notice such as "no nitrates or nitrites added except for that naturally occurring in celery". There is also bacon for sale uncured with any nitrites from any sources. Salted pork belly first appeared in China. In Middle English the term bacon or bacoun referred to all pork in general. Before the Industrial Revolution , bacon

6715-493: The same pâté three great partridges , six fat quail , and a dozen larks . Le Ménagier de Paris mentions pâtés of fish, game, young rabbit, fresh venison , beef, pigeon, mutton , veal , and pork, and even pâtés of lark, turtledove, baby bird, goose, and hen. Bartolomeo Sacchi , called Platine, prefect of the Vatican Library , gives the recipe for a pâté of wild beasts: the flesh, after being boiled with salt and vinegar,

6800-524: The term "uncured" or "no nitrates or nitrites added" on products using these natural sources of nitrites, which provides the consumer a false sense of making a healthier choice. The Consumer Reports investigation also provides the average level of sodium, nitrates and nitrites found per gram of meat in their report. Consumer Reports and the Center for Science in the Public Interest filed a formal request to

6885-431: Was frozen, thus had a much lower value on European shelves. With the arrival of the new "chilled" meats, New Zealand could compete even more strongly with local producers of fresh meat. The use of controlled atmosphere to avoid the depreciation which affects frozen meat is equally useful in other meat markets, such as that for pork, which now also enjoys an international trade. Diet (nutrition) In nutrition, diet

6970-502: Was generally produced on local farms and in domestic kitchens. In the 1770s, John Harris opened the world's first commercial bacon processing plant in Calne, Wiltshire. The United States and Canada have seen an increase in the popularity of bacon and bacon-related recipes, dubbed " bacon mania ". The sale of bacon in the US has increased significantly since 2011. Sales climbed 9.5% in 2013, making it an all-time high of nearly $ 4 billion in US. In

7055-411: Was larded and placed inside an envelope of spiced fat, with a mélange of pepper, cinnamon and pounded lard ; one studded the fat with cloves until it was entirely covered, then placed it inside a pâte. In the 16th century, the most fashionable pâtés were of woodcock , au bec doré , chapon , beef tongue , cow feet, sheep feet, chicken, veal, and venison. In the same era, Pierre Belon notes that

7140-440: Was meat and fish conserved by salt or other means. The Romans called this dish salsamentum – which term later included salted fat, the sauces and spices used for its preparation. Also evidence of ancient sausage production exists. The Roman gourmet Apicius speaks of a sausage-making technique involving œnogaros (a mixture of the fermented fish sauce garum with oil or wine). Preserved meats were furthermore

7225-453: Was sufficient evidence that "processed meats" caused cancer, particularly colon cancer; the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer classified "processed meats" as carcinogenic to humans ( Group 1 ). The use of nitrites in food preservation is highly controversial due to the potential for the formation of nitroso -compounds such as nitrosamines, N-Nitrosamides and nitrosyl-heme. When

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