Sodium erythorbate is a food additive used predominantly in meats, poultry, and soft drinks. When used in processed meat such as hot dogs and beef sticks, it increases the rate at which nitrate reduces to nitric oxide, thus facilitating a faster cure and retaining the pink coloring. As an antioxidant structurally related to vitamin C, it helps improve flavor stability and prevents the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines.