The levels of nitrate, nitrite, and volatile nitrosamines in whey-containing food products were determined in 231 samples purchased at retail outlets of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Nitrite was determined spectrophotometrically and nitrate after reduction to nitrite with spongy cadmium. Volatile nitrosamines were determined by vacuum distillation followed by gas chromatography interfaced with a thermal energy analyzer. Every analyzed sample contained nitrate, with levels ranging from 4.9 to 1250 mg/kg. Sixty percent of the samples showed detectable levels of nitrite that varied from 1.1 to 4.6 mg/kg. The levels of nitrate detected in one serving of some of the products exceeded the acceptable daily intake recommended by WHO for children of less than 10 kg body weight. -Nitrosodimethylamine and V-nitrosopyrrolidine were present at very low levels in 44% of the food samples, and JV-nitrosopiperidine was present in one sample.

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