Approximately 75% of cases of illness due to C. perfringens are attributed to meat, meat products and poultry ( Johnson and Gerding, 1997). Meat products are widely consumed foodstuffs. In addition to appreciable sensory aspects, meat products have a relatively low price when compared to traditional in natura meat cuts. Mortadella is a cured,

emulsified and stuffed meat product that provides lower social classes access to animal proteins, making the minimal recommended protein intake possible ( Feiner, 2006). Cured meat products have nitrite in their composition, a key ingredient in the curing process, which performs the following functions: first, it contributes to the development of the typical cured meat flavor and prevents lipid oxidation, inhibiting the development

of rancid off-flavors; second, it reacts with myoglobin Dasatinib price producing nitrosylhaemochrome, which gives the characteristic pink color of cured meat; third, it allows growth inhibition of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria, specially Clostridium sp. ( Cammack et al., 1999 and Marco et al., 2006). However, a high intake 5 FU of nitrite presents a risk to human health due to possible allergenic effects, vasodilator effects and metamyoglobin production in vivo ( Cammack et al., 1999). In addition, nitrous acid from the hydration of nitrite oxide produced from the reduction of sodium nitrite (NaNO2) may react with secondary 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase amines and amino acids naturally present in muscle foods and meat products to form N-nitroso compounds, especially nitrosamines, which are chemical substances with strong toxic, mutagenic, neurotoxic and nephrotoxic and carcinogenic effects ( Rywotycki, 2002 and Karl-Otto, 2008). Due to the potential risk of nitrite addition in foods, the reduction or elimination is desirable. Cassens (1997) suggested two alternatives to control the problem: use of agents that partially or completely replace nitrite

or agents that block formation of nitrosamines in products containing conventional concentrations of nitrite. According to Brazilian legislation for additives and preservatives in meat products, the maximal concentration of sodium or potassium nitrite, with or without nitrate should not exceed 150 ppm or 0.015% in the product ready for consumption ( Brazil, 2009). Consumers increasingly demand natural antimicrobials as alternative preservatives in foods because the safety of additives has been questioned in the last few years. Alternative preservation techniques with such naturally derived ingredients are under investigation for their application in food products. Due to negative consumer perceptions of chemical preservatives, attention is shifting toward alternatives that consumers perceive as natural, especially plant extracts, including the essential oils (EOs) and essences of plant extracts.