Uncured describes meat products preserved without the traditional curing agents — salt, nitrites or nitrates, smoking, or drying. In modern labelling it usually means no added synthetic nitrites: instead, manufacturers use cultured celery juice or other natural nitrate sources, which still produce nitrites in the finished product through bacterial action. The label appeals to shoppers wary of additives, but food scientists note the chemistry is essentially the same — uncured bacon still contains nitrites, just from celery rather than a packet. Truly uncured fresh meat is simply unprocessed meat. Because nitrites are what suppress Clostridium botulinum, uncured-style products rely on strict refrigeration and shorter shelf lives for safety.