Nearly one-fourth of all marine animals, including about 7,000 species of fish, depend upon coral reefs for some part of their life cycle. Learn More at AskFWC Get FWC News Feeds
Although nitrites are the nitrogen compound chiefly used in meat curing, nitrates are used in certain specialty curing processes where a long release of nitrite from parent nitrate stores is needed. The use of nitrates in food preservation is controversial.
Nitrates form from the decomposition of nitrogen-rich waste present in soil and water. Plants that come into contact with nitrate-rich soil or water contain varying levels of nitrates. When farmer's add fertilizers with nitrates to crops, some of the nitrates move from the soil into the plants.egetables can contain nitrates, and over 70 percent of the nitrates the average adult consumes comes from nitrates in natural foods, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.