Nitrate and Nitrite in Foods

Year 2010, Volume: 8 Issue: 6, 35 - 43, 01.12.2010

Özgül Özdestan Ali Üren

Abstract

Nitrates and nitrites are undesired food additives because of their adverse effects on human health. Toxicity of these food additives arises from the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines between nitrite and secondary amines present in human body. Furthermore, consumption of nitrates and nitrites in foods may cause methaemoglobinaemia. Nitrites are added to meat products to inhibit the growth of Clostridium botulinum and to enhance unique flavor of cured meat products. However, food laws strictly restrict the amount of nitrite added to foods. Nitrate and nitrite concentrations in water supplies are good indicators for water quality. Nitrites can also be added to cheese. Green leafy vegetables are the major sources for dietary intake of nitrate. Level of nitrate in vegetables depends on nitrogen in soil. Higher the nitrogen content of soil, higher the nitrate content of vegetables grown in that soil. Increase in the nitrate and nitrite concentrations of foods causes a significant concern for public health. Therefore, nitrate and nitrite contents of foods must be monitored periodically. The aim of this review is to highlight the importance of nitrate and nitrite contents of foods

Keywords

Nitrate, Nitrite, Food

Gıdalarda Nitrat ve Nitrit

Abstract

İnsan sağlığı üzerine olan olumsuz etkilerinden dolayı nitrat ve nitrit, belirli dozların üzerinde gıdalarda bulunması istenmeyen maddelerdir. Bu maddelerin toksik olmalarının nedeni kansızlığa yol açmaları ve insan vücudunda bulunan sekonder aminlerle tepkimeye girerek kanserojen olan nitrözaminleri oluşturmasıdır. Başta Clostridium cinsine ait patojen bakteriler olmak üzere diğer bazı patojenlerin gelişimini engellemek ve ürüne özgü kür lezzetini oluşturmak üzere nitrat ve nitrit et ürünlerine yasaların izin verdiği oranda katılmaktadır. Sulardaki nitrat ve nitrit su kalitesinin indikatörleridir. Peynirlere de nitrit katılabilmektedir. Yeşil yapraklı sebzeler diyetteki nitratın başlıca kaynağıdır. Sebzelerdeki nitratın varlığı topraktaki azot bileşiklerine bağlıdır. Topraktaki azot seviyesi yüksek olduğunda bu bölgelerde yetiştirilen sebzeler yüksek nitrat içeriğine sahip olmaktadır. Gıdalardaki nitrat ve nitrit seviyesinin artması halk sağlığı açısından önemli bir problem oluşturmaktadır. Bu nedenle bu bileşiklerin gıdalardaki konsantrasyonlarının izlenmesi gerekmektedir. Bu derlemenin amacı gıdaların nitrat ve nitrit içeriğinin önemini vurgulamaktır

Keywords

Nitrat, Nitrit, Gıda

References

• Mikuska, P., Vecera, Z., 2003. Simultaneous determination of nitrite and nitrate in water by chemiluminescent flow-injection analysis. Analytica Chimica Acta 495: 225-232.
• Bories, P.N., Bories, C., 1995. Nitrate determination in biological fluids by an enzymatic one-step assay with nitrate reductase. Clinical Chemistry 41: 904- 907.
• Cemek, M., Akkaya, L., Birdane, Y.O., Seyrek, K., Bulut, S., Konuk, M., 2007. Nitrate and nitrite levels in fruity and natural mineral waters marketed in western Turkey. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 20: 236-240.
• Connolly, D., Paul, B., 2001. Rapid determination of nitrate and nitrite in drinking water samples using ion-interaction liquid chromatography. Analytica Chimica Acta 441: 53-62.
• Roberts, T.A., Dainty, R.H., 1991. Nitrate and nitrite as food additives: rationale and mode of action. Nitrates and Nitrites in Food and Water, Ed. Michael J. Hill, Ellis Horwood Series in Food Science and Technology, 113-124.
• Birch, G.G., Lindley M.G., 1985. Interactions of Food Components, Elsevier Sc. Publ., Reading, 117-130.
• Altuğ, T., 2006. Gıda Katkı Maddeleri, 6. Bölüm, Koruyucular, Meta Basım, İzmir, 276s.
• Cammack, R., Joannou, C.L., Cui, X.Y., Martinez, C.T., Maraj, S.R., Hughes, M.N., 1999. Nitrite and nitrosyl compounds in food preservation. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 1411: 475-488.
• Üren, A., Erkmen İ., Taşlı E., 2007. Marul ve ıspanakta nitrit ve nitrat tayini. Ege Üniversitesi Mühendislik Fakültesi Gıda Mühendisliği Bölümü Lisans Tezi, 36 s, Bornova, İzmir.
• Prasad, S., Chetty, A.A., 2008. Nitrate-N determination in leafy vegetables: Study of the effects of cooking and freezing. Food Chemistry 106: 772-780.
• Hsu, J., Arcot, J., Lee, N.A., 2009. Nitrate and nitrite quantification from cured meat and vegetables and their estimated dietary intake in Australians. Food Chemistry 115: 334.
• Sebranek, J.G., Bacus, J.N., 2007. Cured meat products without direct addition of nitrate or nitrite: what are the issues? Meat Science 77: 136-147.
• Anonim, 2002. Türk Gıda Kodeksi Yönetmeliği, Gıda Maddelerinde Belirli Bulaşanların Maksimum Seviyelerinin Belirlenmesi Hakkında Tebliğ (Tebliğ No: 2002/63) Ek 16, Yabancı Madde ve Bileşikler. Ek 3 Diğer Koruyucular.
• Anonim, 2008. Türk Gıda Kodeksi Yönetmeliği, Gıda Maddelerindeki Bulaşanların Maksimum Limitleri Hakkında Tebliğ (Tebliğ No: 2008/26)17 Mayıs 2008, Sayı: 26879.
• Walters, C.L., 1991. Nitrate and nitrite in foods. Nitrates and Nitrites in Food and Water, Ed. Michael J. Hill, Ellis Horwood Series in Food Science and Technology, 93-112.
• Christy, M., Brown, J.R., Smith, G.E., 1973. Nitrate in soils and plants, Science & Technology Guide, University of Missouri, Columbia Extension Division.
• Pickston, L., Smith, J.M., Todd, M., 1980. Nitrate and nitrite levels in fruit and vegetables in New Zealand. Food Technology in New Zealand 11-17.
• MAFF, 1987. Nitrate, Nitrite and N-nitroso Compounds in Foods. 20 th Report of the Steering Group on Food Surveillance, Food Surveillance Paper No. 20, HMSO, London.
• Mills, H.A., Barker, A.V., Maynard, D.N., 1976. Effects of nitrapyrin on nitrate accumulation in spinach. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 101: 202-204.
• US National Academy of Sciences, 1981. The Health Effects of Nitrate and Nitrite and N-nitroso compounds. National Academy Pres, Washington DC, USA, Chapter 5.
• MAFF, 1998. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. 1997/98 UK monitoring programme for nitrate in lettuce and spinach, food surveillance information sheet no. 154, August 1998, London.
• Wolff, I.A., Wasserman, A.E., 1972. Nitrates, nitrites and nitrosamines. Science 177: 15-18.
• Erkmen, G., Orak, H., Şatıroğlu, S., 1990. Nitrate and nitrite content of fresh vegetables of Turkish origin. Turkish Journal of Chemistry 14: 196-200.
• Jaworska, G., 2005. Content of nitrates, nitrites, and oxalates in New Zealand spinach. Food Chemistry 89: 235-242.
• Jaworska, G., 2005. Nitrates, nitrites and oxalates in products of spinach and New Zealand spinach. Effect of technological measures and storage time on the level of nitrates, nitrites, and oxalates in frozen and canned products of spinach and New Zealand spinach. Food Chemistry 93: 395-401.
• Özcan, M.M., Akbulut, M., 2007. Estimation of minerals, nitrate and nitrite contents of medicinal and aromatic plants used as spices, condiments and herbal tea. Food Chemistry 106: 852-858.
• Buckenhuskes, H., Gierschner, K., 1988. Nitrate in roten beten (Beta vulgaris Lspp. Vulgaris var. Ionditiva Gemüseverwertung 73 (3): 75-83. Obst. Und
• Tekeli, S.T., Güneş, S.T., Gürses, Ö.L., 1972. Türkiye’de yetiştirilen ıspanakların nitrat miktarları üzerinde araştırmalar. Ankara Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Yıllığı 22(3-4): 340-347.
• Çopur, U. 1995. Bursa yöresinde yetiştirilen marul ve ıspanaklarda nitrat ve nitrit miktarları ile diğer kalite araştırma. Yüksek Lisans Tezi. 56 s, Uludağ Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Bursa. bir
• Johnson, C.J., Kross, B.C., 1990. Continuing importance of nitrate contamination of groundwater and wells in rural areas. American Journal of Industrial Medicine 18(4): 449-456.
• Hallberg, G.R., 1989. In: Follet, R.F. (Ed.), Nitrate in Groundwater in the United States: Nitrogen Management and Groundwater Protection. Elsevier, Amsterdam, Netherlands, pp. 35-74.
• Van Leeuwen, F.X.R., 2000. Safe drinking water: the toxicologist’s approach. Food and Chemical Toxicology 38: 51-58.
• Sırıken, B., Özdemir, M., Yavuz, H., Pamuk, Ş., 2006. The microbiological quality and residual nitrate/nitrite levels in Turkish sausage (soudjouck) produced in Afyon Province, Turkey. Food Control 17: 923-928.
• Siu, D.C., Henshall, A., 1998. Ion chromatographic determination of nitrate and nitrite in meat products. Journal of Chromatography A 804: 157-160.
• Honikel, K.O., 2008. The use and control of nitrate and nitrite for the processing of meat products. Meat Science 78: 68-76.
• WHO, 1998. Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality. Addendum to Vol. 1. Recommendations, second ed. World Health Organization, Geneva, 10-11.
• Li, Y., Whitaker, J.S., McCarty, C.L., 2011. Reversed-phase chromatography/electrospray spectrometry with isotope dilution for the analysis of
• ionization/mass nitrate Chromatography A 1218: 476-483. water. Journal of
• Okafor, P.N., Ogbonna, U.I., 2003. Nitrate and nitrite contamination of water sources and fruit juices marketed in South-Eastern Nigeria. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 16: 213-218.
• Ekici, K., Alişarlı, M., Sancak, Y.C., 2005. Peynir çeşitlerinde nitrit ve nitrözaminler. Gıda Kongresi 2005, Poster Sunumu, 182-184.
• Üçüncü, M., 2005. Süt ve Mamülleri Teknolojisi, 5. Bölüm Peynir Teknolojisi, Meta Basım Matbaacılık, 214s.
• Codex Alimentarius (1990). Food Additive and Preservatives, p. 3.80.
• Kyriakidis, N.B., Tarantili-Georgiou, K.., Tsani- Batzaka, E., 1997. Nitrate and nitrite content of Greek cheeses. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 10: 343-349.