Abstract
SINCE the discovery1 of the hepatotoxic and carcinogenic properties of N-nitrosodimethylamine (DMN), these properties have been demonstrated in a variety of N-nitroso compounds2–5. The effect of feeding mink with herring meal treated with excessive amounts of nitrite is to induce a liver disease6, and DMN has been isolated as the hepatotoxic factor7,8. Various methylamines present in the herring meal, especially dimethylamine and trimethylamine, were found to be responsible for the formation of DMN. Although the concentration of nitrite used in the processing of the fish meal were not typical of normal commercial food preservation practice, it is essential that any potential nitrosamine hazard deriving from the use of nitrites and nitrates in the preserving and processing of foodstuffs should be evaluated.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Magee, P. N., and Barnes, J., Br. J. Cancer, 10, 114 (1956).
Druckrey, H., Preussmann, R., Ivanokovic, S., and Schmahl, D., Z. Krebsforsch, 69, 103 (1967).
Weisburger, J. H., Weisburger, E. K., Mantel, N., Hadidian, Z., and Friedrickson, F., Naturwiss., 53, 508 (1966).
Schmahl, D., and Osswald, H., Experientia, 23, 497 (1967).
Magee, P. N., and Barnes, J., Adv. Cancer Res., 10, 163 (1967).
Koppang, N., Proc. IX Nordic Vet. Congr., Copenhagen, 777 (1962).
Ender, F., Havre, G., Helgebostad, A., Koppang, N., Madsen, R., and Ceh, L., Naturwiss., 51, 637 (1964).
Ender, F., and Ceh, L., Z. Lebensmitt-Untersuch., 145, 133 (1971).
Taylor, T. W. J., J. Chem. Soc., 2052 (1928).
Mirvish, S. S., J. National Cancer Institute, 44, 633 (1970).
Sander, J., Schweinsberg, F., and Menz, H. P., Hoppe-Seylers' Z. Physical Chem., 349, 1961 (1968).
Lijinsky, W., and Epstein, S. S., Nature, 222, 21 (1970).
Preussmann, R., Neurath, G., Wulf-Lorentzen, G., Daiber, D., and Hengy, H., Z. Analyt. Chem., 202, 187 (1964).
Foreman, J. K., Palframan, J. F., and Walker, E. A., Nature, 225, 554 (1970).
Walters, C. L., Johnson, E. M., and Ray, N., Analyst, 95, 485 (1970).
Daiber, D., and Preussmann, R., Z. Analyt. Chem., 206, 344 (1964).
Telling, G. M., Bryce, T. A., Althorpe, J., J. Agric. Fd. Chem., 19, 937 (1971).
Gough, T. A., and Webb, K. S., J. Chromat., 64, 201 (1972).
Crosby, N. T., Foreman, J. K., Palframan, J. F., and Sawyer, R., Symposium on Analysis and Formation of Nitrosamines, Heidelberg, 1971, International Agency for Research in Cancer (in the press).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
CROSBY, N., FOREMAN, J., PALFRAMAN, J. et al. Estimation of Steam-Volatile N-Nitrosamines in Foods at the 1 µg/kg Level. Nature 238, 342–343 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/238342a0
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/238342a0
This article is cited by
-
Volatile nitrosamines in foods and beverages: Preliminary survey of the Italian market
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (1988)
-
Investigation on the occurence of volatile nitrosamines in sugar-salted herrings prepared with or without addition of nitrate
Zeitschrift f�r Lebensmittel-Untersuchung und -Forschung (1983)
-
Einsatzmöglichkeiten der Massenspektrometrie bei der Überwachung von Lebensmitteln und Bedarfsgegenständen. II
Fresenius' Zeitschrift für analytische Chemie (1979)
-
Determination of nitrite at low level without prior extraction
Zeitschrift f�r Lebensmittel-Untersuchung und -Forschung (1978)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
