Considering the non-negligible percentage of 'not-compliant' samples for nitrates (6.0%), control is needed. Moreover, it is possible to suggest the introduction in the Communities Regulations of a 'maximum admissible level' for nitrites in leafy vegetables.
Nitrite and nitrate are food preservatives not allowed in fresh meat preparations. Two hundred fresh meat samples were analysed to evaluate the natural presence of nitrite and nitrate and estimate the maximum concentrations to considerate as 'natural' and to admit in fresh meat preparations. The analyses were carried out by a validated ion chromatography method, and the 'positive' samples were confirmed by an alternative ion chromatography method. Nitrite residues were not detected. Quantifiable nitrate concentrations, ranging from 10.2 to 36.5 mg kg )1 , were found in nineteen samples. In chicken meat samples, nitrate residues were not detected. Taking into account the distribution of nitrate concentrations, it is possible to suggest a maximum admissible limit of 30.0 mg kg )1 in beef and pork meats; in equine meats, this limit may be increased to 40.0 mg kg )1 . Below these values, the samples can be considered as 'compliant'. Figure 4 Distribution of nitrates concentrations in 'positive' samples. Values expressed as mg kg )1 of NO À 3 .Nitrite and nitrate in fresh meats: a contribution to the estimation M. Iammarino and A. Di Taranto
Sulfites are a class of chemical compounds, SO2 releasers, widely used as additives in food industry, due to their antimicrobial, color stabilizing, antibrowning, and antioxidant properties. As the results of these pleiotropic functions they can be added to a broad range of products including dried fruits and vegetables, seafood, juices, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverage, and in few meat products. Sulfites ingestion has been correlated with several adverse and toxic reactions, such as hypersensitivity, allergic diseases, vitamin deficiency, and may lead to dysbiotic events of gut and oral microbiota. In many countries, these additives are closely regulated and in meat products the legislation restricts their usage. Several studies have been conducted to investigate the sulfites contents in meat and meat products, and many of them have revealed that some meat preparations represent one of the main sources of SO2 exposure, especially in adults and young people. This review discusses properties, technological functions, regulation, and health implications of sulfites in meat‐based foods, and lays a special emphasis on the chemical mechanisms involved in their interactions with organic and inorganic meat components.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.