Analysis of Nitrite and Nitrate in Foods: Overview of Chemical, Regulatory and Analytical Aspects.
In this chapter, several factors that should be considered for selecting and developing suitable analytical methods for determining nitrite/nitrate are presented. Nitrite and nitrate occurrence and suitability are a controversial issue. Nitrite is an approved additive considered a foremost curing ingredient for the preservation of meat products. Nitrate is a natural constituent of the human diet that, however, raises fears for its suggested potential harmfulness related to carcinogenesis and environmental contamination. Chemical, regulatory, and analytical aspects are discussed in the light of the need to obtain reliable data of nitrite and nitrate for law enforcement purposes, exposure estimates, and investigation of their physiological role in the human body. In addition, current metrological aspects to ensure the "fitness for purpose" of the selected method are suggested and discussed.
National Food Agency, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: leme@slv.se.
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Merino
Emendo Dokumentgranskning, Ulricehamn, Sweden.
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U
Örnemark
Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (CSIC), Valencia, Spain.
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F
Toldrá
D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D005504:Food Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007881:Legislation, Food; D009566:Nitrates / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry*
D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites
Bias/recovery; Derivatization; Metrological traceability; Nitrate; Nitrite; Nitrous acid; Target uncertainty; Validation