The study of hurdles, which confer microbiological stability to low-cost shelf-stable Bologna, is fundamental for supporting the supervisory authorities to approval the commercialization of the product at room temperature providing some minimum parameters to assure product safety. In view of the above, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of increased of nitrite levels and their impacts in safety at different water activities. The study comprised 6 treatments varying the water activity (0.950; 0.955; 0.960) and the levels of nitrites added (150ppm e 300ppm). The pH value, water activity, nitrite and nitrate levels in the just processed product, after incubation (35°C during 10 days) and at 40, 60 and 90 days after processing was determined. Total counts of Enterobacteria, Lactic Bacteria, Mesophilic anaerobic bacteria, spores and vegetative cells of sulfite-reducing clostridia were evaluated in the just processed product and after incubation. No differences among treatments and during storage were detected for pH values (p>0.05). After incubation, nitrite amounts reached 5 and 20 ppm for treatments with 150 and 300ppm addition, respectively. Nitrate increased for the treatments with higher level of nitrite added (300ppm) comparing to the treatments with 150ppm which showed decreasing, except at aw 0.950 which kept the level constant after incubation. No anaerobic mesophilic, lactic, enterobacteria counts, as well as spores and vegetative cells of Cl. sulfite-reducing were detected after heat treatment. After incubation only treatments with 150ppm showed counts for mesophilic anaerobes and lactic bacteria between 1 and 2 logUFC/g.