硝酸盐在食品加工中被用作防腐剂。

Nitrates are used as preservatives in food processing.

《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

尽管许多食品天然富含水杨酸盐，但在过去几十年里，食品加工公司也一直在食品中添加水杨酸盐作为防腐剂。

Although many foods are naturally rich in salicylates, for the past several decades, food-processing companies have also been adding salicylates to foods as preservatives.

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食品添加剂：指为改善食品品质和色、香、味，以及为防腐和加工工艺的需要而加入食品中的化学合成或者天然物质。

"Food additive" means any synthetic compound or natural substance put into food to improve its quality, colour, fragrance or taste, or for the sake of preservation or processing.

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