Potassium nitrate and nitrosamine formation

Effect of cooking on availability and in vitro nitrosation of precursors of volatile N-nitroso compounds in seafood

Aqueous extracts of uncooked and cooked samples of squid and shrimp, characterized by their high amine content, were exposed to nitrate. The samples were cooked following traditional Italian recipes: stewing, grilling and deep-frying for squid; boiling, grilling and deep-frying for shrimp. Incubation of the aqueous extracts with nitrite in acidic medium yielded appreciable amounts of N-nitrosodimethylamine. Ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol were effective in preventing nitrosation of seafood amines only in the presence of molar excesses of these vitamins. An attempt at modulating nitrosation through the use of food ingredients naturally rich in vitamin C was unsuccessful.