Sodium erythorbate (C6H7NaO6) is a food additive used predominantly in meats, poultry, and soft drinks.

When used in processed meat such as hot dogs, bologna,[4] and beef sticks, it increases the rate at which nitrite 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.

[8] Furthermore, sodium erythorbate's antioxidative properties have been shown to reduce the production thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in frozen meats, effectively increasing their shelf-life.

But, when in solution with water it readily reacts with atmospheric oxygen and other oxidizing agents, which makes it a valuable antioxidant.