Evaluation of Nitrite, Ethyl Carbamate, and Biogenic Amines in Four Types of Fermented Vegetables

Nitrite, ethyl carbamate, and biogenic amines in fermented vegetables are considered harmful compounds. In this study, the concentration of the nitrite, ethyl carbamate, and biogenic amines in four different varieties of fermented vegetables in China was determined. The results show that the nitrite concentration in the fermented cabbage was the highest, followed by fermented mustard, fermented bamboo, and fermented radish. Additionally, nitrite concentration in two fermented cabbage samples and one fermented mustard sample exceeded the maximum allowed residue limit (20 mg/kg) suggested by China's National Food Safety Standards. However, only one fermented cabbage sample had a very low level of ethyl carbamate (<10 μg/kg). Otherwise, higher biogenic amines were found in the samples of fermented cabbage, fermented bamboo, and fermented mustard. Additionally, the concentration of biogenic amines in some samples exceeded the recommended limit. On the contrary, biogenic amines in fermented radish samples were relatively low. Therefore, the concentration of nitrite and biogenic amine should be closely monitored and controlled during the vegetable fermentation processes, especially for the fermentation processes of bamboo, cabbage, and mustard.