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Nutritional and Physiological Effects of Nitrates, Nitrites, and Nitrosamines
Research reports continue to indicate that understanding nitrate and nitrite, as factors in nutrition and metabolism of animals, is essential to keep them in proper perspective.
Abstract
constantly present. Nitrates are tolerated at much higher levels than nitrites and nitrosamines. However, nitrates are readily reduced to nitrites, and nitrites react with amines to form carcinogenic nitrosamines. Most of the hazardous levels of these substances in food and drinking water have been enumerated for the various species in th. reviews by the Committees of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS 1972a,b), Wolff and Wasserman (1972), Turner and Kienholz (1972), and Emerick (1974). Turner and Kienholz (1972) suggested that research has placed more emphasis on nitrate toxicity as a factor causing death, abnormal vitamin and mineral metabolism, and decreased performance of domestic animals than may be justified by the facts. Wolff and Wasserman (1972) pointed out that the extent of real danger from nitrites and nitrosamines is not yet known, but that available information suggests that the hazard is not great enough to cause alarm. Emerick (1974) concluded that concentrations of these substances in food and water provided only a basis for a cautious approach. Research reports continue to indicate that understanding nitrate and nitrite, as factors in nutrition and metabolism of animals, is essential to keep them in proper perspective. The present report will emphasize papers not included in the cited reviews, but which indicate the active research presently involving these