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Formation of Nitrosamines in a Meat Curing Mixture

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Abstract

TRACE amounts of certain N-nitrosamines, well known carcinogens, in foods, especially nitrite-treated meat and fish products, have caused a great deal of concern1–3. These compounds are usually formed from the interactions of nitrite and secondary or tertiary amines4–5. Recent studies, however, have shown that certain naturally occurring quaternary ammonium compounds can also react with nitrite to form nitrosamines6. Of the known nitrosamines dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) and nitrosopyrrolidine (NPy) are the two compounds which have been most frequently found to be present in cured meat products2,3,7,8. NPy is formed during frying of bacon but its presence in other cured meat products has not been reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Food Research Laboratories, Health Protection Branch, Ottawa, K1A OL2

    N. P. SEN, W. F. MILES, BARBARA DONALDSON, T. PANALAKS & J. R. IYENGAR

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  1. N. P. SEN
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  2. W. F. MILES
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  3. BARBARA DONALDSON
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  4. T. PANALAKS
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  5. J. R. IYENGAR
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SEN, N., MILES, W., DONALDSON, B. et al. Formation of Nitrosamines in a Meat Curing Mixture. Nature 245, 104–105 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/245104a0

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