The impact of pH and nitrite from celery juice concentrate (CJ) on the growth of L. monocytogenes on ham slices, and quality attributes of the ham were evaluated. The pH of the ham was increased by addition of CJ. The CJ treatments at both 100 and 200 mg/kg of nitrite resulted in growth of L. monocytogenes (p>0.05) similar to that of conventional nitrite at the same concentrations. Reducing the pH of CJ before addition to the ham had greater impact on L. monocytogenes growth at 200 mg/kg nitrite than at 100 mg/kg. Consequently, celery juice concentrate can increase meat product pH which has implications for the antimicrobial impact of nitrite in some products.