The determination of N-nitrosamines in food

Abstract

Introduction N‐nitrosamines are formed in food as a result of natural chemical interactions, but mainly through food processing activity. Most are potent carcinogens and their determination is therefore of considerable importance. They exist in various chemical forms and have been measured by colorimetric and spectroscopic methods following gas or liquid chromatography or as a total N‐nitroso group by measurement of chemically released nitric oxide. Objectives To provide an overview of the available methods for the analysis of N‐nitrosamines in food that includes recently developments. Methods The literature was reviewed from the discovery of the N‐nitrosamine problem and the introduction on the N‐nitroso‐specific detector. Results The evaluation shows that analytical detection methods for volatile N‐nitrosamines in food have changed little since the introduction on the N‐nitroso‐specific detector and that research into the occurrence and formation of both non‐volatile N‐nitrosamines and the apparent total N‐nitroso content (ATNC) have declined. Methods for measuring the apparent total N‐nitroso content have not been improved significantly in recent years. Conclusion Modern sample extraction techniques and mass spectrometric methods for the volatile N‐nitrosamines have been applied more extensively to water analysis and offer a good opportunity to improve the determination of these carcinogens in food and make the analysis more widely available. Developments in liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry should provide an avenue for renewed interest in non‐volatile N‐nitrosamines, and could help with the identification of novel compounds whose presence is suggested by the high apparent total N‐nitroso content of some foods.

Determination ofN-nitrosamines in processed meats by liquid extraction combined with gas chromatography-methanol chemical ionisation/mass spectrometry

“…The extraction efficiency for NPYR, NMOR, NPIP and NDBA was similar with both of the solvents, but dichloromethane was chosen as the extraction solvent in this study because, even though acetonitrile was 1.86 times more efficient than dichloromethane for the extraction of NDPH (not considered as a carcinogen), dichloromethane was more efficient for the extraction of NDPA, NDEA, NDMA and NMEA (1.27, 2.13, 2.65 and 6 times, respectively). These results are in accordance with the AOAC (1990) official method and with a large number of studies that used dichloromethane as extraction solvent for the determination of NAs (Massey et al 1991;Yurchenko & Mölder 2007;Crews 2010;Ozel et al 2010;Sannino & Bolzoni 2013).…”

“…The lesser attention to the analysis of NVNAs may be also attributable to the inherent difficulties of the extraction and concentration methodologies and separation techniques associated with these compounds (Pegg & Shaidi 2000). There are distinct differences in the analytical methods for VNAs and NVNAs: both can be determined by HPLC, but GC is used only for VNAs (Bellec et al 1996;Cheng & Tsang 1999;Crews 2010).…”

Effect of plant polyphenols and ascorbic acid on lipid oxidation, residual nitrite and N‐nitrosamines formation in dry‐cured sausage

“…The only volatile N-nitrosamines detected were NDMA, NDEA and NPYR. A limit of 10 lg kg À1 total volatile N-nitrosamines has been set for cured meat products in the United States (Crews, 2010). These results support earlier studies showing that NDMA and NPYR are commonly found in meat products (Ozel et al, 2010;Yurchenko & M€ older, 2007).…”

Food Analysis: Present, Future, and Foodomics

“…Another important issue is the analysis of antibiotics in foods [85], including different legal aspects related to their determination and subsequent validation of the analytical methodologies [86]. Robust analytical methods are continuously under development in order to improve the figures of merit (analysis speed, resolution, and sensitivity), allowing the fast and sensitive analysis of other food contaminants as well as possible dangerous compounds generated during food processing as acrylamide [87,88], melatonin [89], N-nitrosamines [90], dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs [91], polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [92], Sudan dyes [93], food taints and offflavours [94], thiols in wine [95], and sulphites in food and beverages [96].…”