According to the Free Online Dictionary, phosphate is salt or ester of phosphoric acid, which is any one of three chemical compounds made up of phosphorus, oxygen, and hydrogen. The two beneficial effects of phosphates in meat and poultry products are moisture retention and flavor protection. An example is the use of phosphates in the curing of ham where approved additives are sodium or potassium salts of tripolyphosphate, hexametaphosphate, acid pyrophosphate, or orthophosphates, declared as “phosphates” on labels.