Why Is Turkey Bacon Red? The Science Behind Its Unique Color

Turkey bacon has become a popular alternative to traditional pork bacon. Many people choose turkey bacon because it has less fat and fewer calories. However, the most obvious difference between pork and turkey bacon is the color – turkey bacon has a distinctly red hue.

So why is turkey bacon red? The red color comes from how the turkey bacon is processed and cured. Understanding the steps involved in making turkey bacon helps explain why it looks so different from the pink pork bacon we’re used to.

How Turkey Bacon Is Made

Turkey bacon starts with cuts of skinless, boneless turkey breasts. The breasts are sliced into long, thin cuts to mimic the fatty marbling in pork bellies, which are used to make traditional bacon.

The turkey cuts are then cured in a brine solution. Curing infuses flavor and preserves the meat. Pork bacon brine contains just salt sugar and nitrites. Turkey bacon brine has additional ingredients like

• Smoke flavoring
• Paprika or other spices
• Carmine or other red food coloring

The brining process not only gives turkey bacon flavor, but the spices and food coloring give it the distinctive red hue. Carmine made from crushed cochineal insects is a common red food dye used in processed meats.

After brining, the turkey strips are smoked to add even more flavor. The level of smoking can impact the final color – the more the turkey is smoked, the darker red it becomes.

Finally, the cured, smoked turkey bacon slices are cooked until fully cooked. The cooking stabilizes the color and texture before packaging.

Why Pork and Turkey Bacon Colors Differ

Pork naturally has a light pinkish-red color from myoglobin in the muscle fibers. Myoglobin is the protein that stores and carries oxygen in muscles. It contains iron molecules that give it a red pigment.

In pork bellies, the myoglobin remains intact during the curing process, resulting in classic pink bacon once cooked.

Turkey meat contains less myoglobin and more moisture than pork. The brining process for turkey bacon removes moisture and leaches out the small amounts of natural myoglobin.

Without any myoglobin, the turkey would end up white or pale yellow after brining and smoking. The additional spices and red dye ensure that the final product has the vibrant reddish hue that consumers expect from bacon.

Benefits of Red Turkey Bacon

While turkey bacon may not fully replicate the taste and texture of pork bacon, the red color provides some advantages:

• Familiar appearance – The recognizable bacon-like stripes and rich red color make turkey bacon more appealing, especially for those avoiding pork for dietary reasons.

• Appetizing color – Red is an appetizing color that enhances food’s visual appeal. The redness makes turkey bacon look tastier.

• Masks turkey flavor – The heavy seasoning and colored cure help mask the blandness of turkey meat, which lacks the fattiness and robust flavor of pork.

• Oxidative stability – The red dye, often carmine, functions as an antioxidant to prevent rancidity and stabilize the color over time.

So while the redness of turkey bacon stems from artificial coloring, it provides visual and quality benefits that help improve the acceptance and appeal of this popular pork bacon alternative.

The Debate Over Nitrites in Cured Meats

The use of nitrites in bacon, ham, hot dogs, and other cured meats remains controversial. Originally added to prevent botulism poisoning, today nitrites provide other functions:

• Cured color – Nitrites interact with myoglobin to give cured meats their characteristic color. They generate red nitric oxide myoglobin pigments.

• Antioxidant properties – Nitrites slow rancidity and stabilize flavor over the shelf life of processed meats.

• Antimicrobial effects – Nitrites inhibit growth of bacteria, including dangerous Clostridium botulinum.

However, nitrites can react with amines in meat to produce nitrosamines. These compounds may increase cancer risk when eaten in high amounts. The WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies processed meat containing nitrites as “carcinogenic to humans”.

Due to health concerns, the USDA regulates the maximum amount of nitrites allowed in meat processing. Processors have reduced nitrite levels in cured products over the past 40 years.

Organic and no-nitrite bacons rely instead on natural sources like celery powder for antimicrobial effects. But these products require more care to prevent spoilage and typically have shorter shelf lives.

For highest quality and safety, most bacon continues to be conventionally cured with regulated nitrite levels. But this ongoing debate means we may see additional changes in curing processes in the future.

Quick Facts on Turkey Bacon

• Turkey bacon contains about half the calories and almost a third less fat compared to pork bacon.

• Along with less fat, turkey bacon is lower in cholesterol and higher in protein than pork bacon.

• However, since the meat itself is less flavorful, turkey bacon contains loads more sodium from the brining process – nearly twice as much as pork bacon.

• While turkey bacon is sold as a more “healthy” alternative, both pork and turkey bacon are considered processed meats and therefore may potentially increase cancer risk when consumed in high amounts.

• Poultry, including turkey, cannot legally be labeled as “bacon”. The product name must include the type of meat – so it’s sold as “turkey bacon”, not simply “bacon”.

• Studies show that taste wise, the vast majority of consumers prefer the taste, texture, and overall eating experience of pork bacon over turkey bacon.

• Over 95% of bacon sold in the US is pork bacon. Turkey bacon accounts for less than 5% of retail bacon sales.

The Bottom Line

So why is turkey bacon red? The cured, smoked turkey slices get their rich, red-pink color from food dye and spice additions during processing. While the appearance provides visual appeal, the taste and texture differ considerably from traditional pink pork bacon. However, the red color makes turkey bacon more approachable for those seeking a lower-fat alternative. Understanding how turkey bacon is made helps explain the science behind its distinct color and unique pros and cons.