Definition of "nitrite"

John Birdsall, a scientist for the American Meat Institute, said that there were no industry qualms about trying to lower the nitrite amounts even farther. For centuries, some form of nitrites have been used to cure and to preserve bacon and to give it a pink color.

1978 May 16, Seth S. King, “Nitrate Reduction Ordered in Bacon”, in The New York Times‎