[A comparison of N-nitrosodimethylamine contents in selected meat products]

Nitrosamines are know as the most potent group of carcinogens. Approximately 300 of these compounds have been tested, and about 90% of them have been found to be carcinogenic in laboratory animals. N-nitrosodimethylamine causes liver cancer, whereas some of tobacco specific nitrosamines causes lung cancer. Volatile N-nitrosamines induce tumors in a variety of human organs, including the tongue, esophagus, lung, pancreas, liver, kidney and bladder. They are formed during reaction of secondary or tertiary amino compounds and nitrite or nitrogen oxides. Nitrosamines occurs as contaminants in many foodstuff including food and beverages: beers, cheeses, sausages, smoked and pickled foods. They are formed during frying, smoking and food preserved with pickling salt. These compounds can also be produced in man and other mammals under the acidic conditions in the stomach. The present study was carried out to determine level of N-nitrosodimethylamine in selected 13 meat products. The extraction procedure was based on Raoul's method, ie. on two consecutive extraction-concentration step using extrelut and florisil columns. The level of N-nitrosodimethylamine was varied from 0.049 mg/kg to 16.47 mg/kg. The highest level of NDMA was found in smoked sausage.