Chemical Turning Meat Pink

[chickx]

A colleague bought a pie for his lunch and when he bit into it the meat inside was bright pink, he sent an email to the bakery who makes the pie's and they said it was due to a substance that the water supplier puts in their water and it turns the meat pink during the cooking process.

Could anyone tell me what substance could do this?

[woofgang]

nitrates/nitrites
http://www.theingredientstore.com/foodpreservation/nitratesnitrates.htm

often deliberately put in meat products to keep the meat pink instead of it going grey and nasty looking

[gingejbee]

...and I can assure you that water suppliers do NOT add either of the above to mains water. There are strict (very low) limits to both in drinking water ....I'm afraid the bakery is telling "porkies".

[EDDIE51]

Nitrates are added to preserved meat like pork pies and sausages to give them a pink look, without it they would be grey which does not look appetizing.
Looks like the pie company put in too much on that batch. It is NOT in the water they should never have told him that.

[EDDIE51]

If the colour is really bright pink it is more likely to be a food dye called cochineal , this is used in pies and sausages as well. Cochineal is a natural product and is not harmful. Nitrates give a more natural pink like meat that has been cooked at home.