Which chemical class is used as a food additive in cured meats and can also contaminate water supplies?

Which chemical class is used as a food additive in cured meats and can also contaminate water supplies?

• A. Okadaic Acid
• B. Norovirus
• C. Nitrates
• D. Off-Site Service

Answer: (C)

Nitrates are the chemical class that fits both parts of the question. They’re used as curing agents in cured meats to help preserve color, inhibit spoilage, and reduce botulism risk. At the same time, nitrates can contaminate water supplies when they come from agricultural sources such as fertilizers and manure, leaching into groundwater or running off into surface water. That combination—a curing agent in processed meats and a common groundwater/surface water contaminant—is why nitrates are the correct answer. Okadaic acid is a marine toxin, not a food additive; norovirus is a pathogen, not a chemical additive; and Off-Site Service is unrelated.

Nitrates are the chemical class that fits both parts of the question. They’re used as curing agents in cured meats to help preserve color, inhibit spoilage, and reduce botulism risk. At the same time, nitrates can contaminate water supplies when they come from agricultural sources such as fertilizers and manure, leaching into groundwater or running off into surface water. That combination—a curing agent in processed meats and a common groundwater/surface water contaminant—is why nitrates are the correct answer. Okadaic acid is a marine toxin, not a food additive; norovirus is a pathogen, not a chemical additive; and Off-Site Service is unrelated.