Incidence and risk exposure of nitrate and nitrite of Egyptian fruits and vegetables

Abstract

Nitrosamine is the derived from nitrate and it seems as one of the factors and causes of gastrointestinal cancer in adults and methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome). Eighty percent of nitrate enters to the body through vegetables and fruits; so in this study, nitrate concentration in available vegetables and fruits in Egypt was determined and compared with standard limit. Nitrate reading was done using HPLC, and Excel was used to draw diagrams and statistical calculations. Daily intake estimates were based on a national food consumption and nitric/nitrate content in various foodstuffs. The mean intake of nitrite from Squash was exceeded the ADI among 110 vegetable commodity, with EDI value of o.1mg/kg for children body weight and Fresh strawberry with EDI value of 3.6 for adult body weight. And the water commodity with high and significant EDI for both body weight.