[CajunSmoker]

I go to this book anytime a have a question about sausage or curing meat.

http://books.google.as/books?id=De2e...um=1&ct=result

In the chapter about making smoked sausage he discusses making sausage without using chemical preservatives,

What Is Smoke?

" It is strange to think of smoke as a preservative, but hiding in the clouds of smoke are tiny droplets of various natural chemicals such as aldehydes, phenols, ketones, and carbolic acid. Threse chemicals condense on the food being smoked. Some will be absorbed into the liquid of the meat and will make their way into the meat itself. Others will settle on the the meat surface, giving a wonderful smoky flavor. These natural chemicals also kill or check the formation of bacteria, yeast and mold microorganisms which are the little devils that start decay. Phenols in the smoke prevent the oils and fats from turning rancid. Do keep in mind that smoking will not turn deteriorating meat into some mouthwatering tidbit. If you begin with bad meat, you will invariably end up with bad meat!"


from the sausage-making cookbook
Jerry Predika