NITRATE USE IN OUR HAM:

There is always a lot of discussion about the dangerous levels of nitrites / nitrates in ham. The Australian Food Standard for maximum nitrite levels in ham is 125mg/kg, we conduct regular testing on the nitrate and nitrite levels in our ham at an accredited lab. The latest test conducted in May 2022 shows that our total level of nitrates and nitrites in our ham is 20mg/kg. We do not use sulphites in our products.

Studies have shown that vegetables such as cabbage, lettuce, spinach, parsley, turnips, kale, cauliflower etc. have nitrate levels ranging between 54 to 2440mg/kg. This is just to make you aware that our ham is lower in nitrates than many vegetables and one of the reasons we have used this recipe which has been passed down through generations is to achieve low levels of nitrite in the ham. 

In our opinion nitrite was never intended to be used as a preservative, it was intended to keep a desirable level of pink in the product. Many producers today use it at much higher levels not for the colour but to preserve the product and give it a longer shelf life. We achieve the same or better through our genuine knowledge and craftsmanship and never taking any shortcuts.