Precursors of Dimethylnitrosamine in Fried Bacon

Various compounds, all of which are endogenous to bacon systems, were investigated as precursors of dimethylnitrosamine. Low moisture model system studies indicated that dimethylamine and sarcosine were the major contributors to dimethylnitrosamine formation. Under conditions normally encountered in pan-frying of bacon, choline-containing compounds and sarcosine produced measurable quantities of this N-nitrosamine. It was also apparent that sarcosine under conditions of the experiment is a more probable precursor of dimethylnitrosamine. Up to 80% of the N-nitrosamine produced during the frying process was lost in the vapor.