#6 Sodium Nitrite
Sodium Nitrite (E250) is a food preservative used for meat products such as sandwich meat, hotdogs, bacon and corned beef and is known to be effective in the prevention of bacterial contamination of meat, most notably the bacteria that causes botulism.
Several studies have linked consumption of meat treated with sodium nitrite with various types of cancer (in particular pancreatic cancer) and in the European Union, may only be used as a preservative as a mixture with salt containing at most 0.6% sodium nitrite. It’s close relation, potassium nitrite, is often used in a similar way and has been approved for use in the U.S. the EU and in other countries.
We recommend that you limit processed meats in your diet (they’re high in saturated fat too) and eat more natural foods, organic or home grown if possible.