Evaluation of nitrite contamination in baby foods and infant formulas marketed in Turkey

Erkekoglu P., BAYDAR T.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCES AND NUTRITION, cilt.60, sa.3, ss.206-209, 2009 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 60 Sayı: 3
  • Basım Tarihi: 2009
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/09637480701690311
  • Dergi Adı: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCES AND NUTRITION
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.206-209
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Nitrite, baby food, nutrition, contamination, toxicity, METHEMOGLOBINEMIA, NITRATES, PRODUCTS
  • Hacettepe Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Nitrites are responsible for methemoglobinemia, to which infants younger than 6 months are thought to be the most susceptible population. This study aimed to detect whether there was any nitrite contamination in infant formulas and baby foods marketed in Turkey and to estimate possible toxicological risks in this sensitive physiological period. For this purpose, the samples were randomly collected and divided into four groups: milk-based, cereal-based, vegetable-based, and fruit-based. An easy and reliable spectrophotometric method was used by modifying the Griess method. The average nitrite contamination was found to be 204.0765.80 g/g in 42 samples, with 1,073 g/g maximum. According to the results, baby and infant formulas include various nitrite levels; nitrite contamination might come from several sources during manufacturing, and so extreme attention must be given throughout the manufacturing process of food for infants.