title: Occurrence of the nitrosamide precursor pyrrolidin-(2)-one in food and tobacco.
abstract: Pyrrolidinone was identified in food and tobacco samples by gas chromatography combined with NO-specific chemiluminescence detection (TEA). Up to 77 mg/kg pyrrolidinone were detected in cocoa powders, coffee, coffee surrogates, dried vegetables and tobacco leaves. When treated with excess nitrite under acidic conditions, N-nitrosopyrrolidinone was formed in concentrations up to 44 mg/kg. The nitrosation characteristics of pyrrolidinone indicate its possible conversion to nitrosopyrrolidinone under conditions of the gastric tract.
authors.affiliation: German Cancer Research Center, Department of Environmental Carcinogens, Heidelberg.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mende
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ziebarth
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Preussmann
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spiegelhalder
mesh_terms: D002099:Cacao / Q000737:chemistry; D003069:Coffee / Q000737:chemistry; D005504:Food Analysis; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D009603:Nitroso Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000737:chemistry*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003069:Coffee; D009603:Nitroso Compounds; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; C013621:nitrosamides