Concern about potential health hazards of nitrate, nitrite and N-nitroso compounds necessitates calculations of exposures to these compounds and their distribution in normal populations. This study describes dietary intake of nitrate (NO3-), nitrite (NO2-) and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) among 5304 adult men and 4750 women, who participated in the Finnish Mobile Clinic Health Examination Survey in 1967-72. Food consumption data for each individual over the preceding year were collected by a dietary history interview. Intakes of nitrate, nitrite and NDMA from vegetables, fruits, cheese, meat and fish products were calculated using available values mainly derived from Finland and other countries in northern Europe. Nitrate and nitrite from drinking water were not included in the study. Mean daily dietary intake of nitrate was 77 mg, of nitrite 5.3 mg, and of NDMA 0.05 microgram respectively. Intake of NDMA from beer, estimated in a part of the study population, was 0.07 microgram per day. More than 90% of dietary nitrate was derived from vegetables, including potatoes. Nitrite was mainly provided by cured meat products. Cured meat products and smoked and salted fish were important food sources of NDMA. The total daily intake of nitrate was similar in men and women, whereas intakes of nitrite and NDMA were higher in men than in women. The diet of farmers was characterized by lower amounts of nitrate, nitrite and NDMA, whereas white collar workers and those employed in industry had higher intakes. Current smokers were exposed to higher dietary intakes of nitrate, nitrite and NDMA than non-smokers. Intakes of dietary nitrate, nitrite and NDMA estimated on an individual level are suggested to be useful in evaluating the health effects of these compounds in epidemiological studies.

The aim of the study was to assess the extent to which lightly salted food products are included in the assortments of Finnish supermarkets and prominently placed on shelves. The study was carried out in eastern Finland in four supermarkets of different food chains. Six food groups of importance for people's salt intake were considered. The food labels of 689 packaged food products were checked for salt and sodium information on the basis of Finnish regulations on salt. Products with reduced salt contents were found in most food groups but not among whole-meat or ready-to-eat foods. Half of the products with reduced amounts of salt were labelled "lightly salted". All four supermarkets had a similar assortment of lightly salted products. From the public health point of view, the food industry should increase the supply of lightly salted products, and make a special effort to develop lightly salted ready-to-eat foods.

The use of pesticides has been monitored on the basis of sales statistics since 1953 in Finland and the information has been used for targeting the official food control to products where pesticides are mostly used. Food consumption and the earlier control results were also taken into account. The intake of pesticides has been estimated based on the control analysis and statistical food consumption data, where also the ratio of imports was taken into account. The samples were taken by food control authorities and analysed separately. In spite of slight bias owing to sampling for control purposes, the results are representative of the products consumed. The intake estimation method has been classified in the group Estimated Daily Intake (EDI). The intakes of a total of the 53 most commonly found pesticides were estimated. The intakes of the evaluated pesticides were below 2% of ADIs. The average daily intake was 75 micrograms per person in 1992 mainly from imported products, only 24% initiating from domestic products. The intake of pesticides from domestic vegetables, fruits and berries has been evaluated three times during 1977-1993. The daily intake of pesticide residues from these products has decreased from 16.9 micrograms to 3.7 micrograms. The intensive food control has decreased offences against the regulations. The method used seems to be suitable for the longterm monitoring. The average intake of pesticides is at a low level compared with the Acceptable Daily Intakes, thus further estimations by more defined methods are not necessarily needed. The advantage of the method adopted is that residue data can also be used to make more accurate Measured Daily Intake estimates for risk groups such as children and vegetarians.

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Abstract. Nitrate concentration of some domestic vegetables at Helsinki district market was studied during the summer and autumn months of the year 1984. The species were cabbage (Brassica oleracea var capitata), Chinese cabbage ( Brassica pekinensis) , kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var gongylodes), turnip ( Brassica rapa), carrot (Daucus Carola subsp. salivas) and crisphead and butter head lettuce (Lactuca saliva var. capitata). The 395 samples were analysed with an ion specific electrode.There was a wide range of nitrate concentrations within each species. The mean concentrations mg nitrates/kg of fresh weight were the following: butter head lettuce 1835, Chinese cabbage 1057, kohlrabi 1008, crisphead lettuce 964, turnip 908, cabbage 607 and carrot 264. The nitrate concentration of butter head lettuce in the autumn was more than twice as high as that in the summer, and vice versa as tocabbage samples. The nitrate concentration of carrot samples in the summer was about 40 % higher than in the autumn.