Electroanalytical detection of nitrates, nitrites, and N-nitrosamines in foods

The consumption of animal-based products, including meat and meat products, has increased worldwide, primarily due to rising household incomes. As a result, the demand for high-quality, safe meat products has become more important. Food additives ensure that food production has desirable sensory qualities, including color, odor, taste, and texture, as well as food quality and safety. Among these additives, sodium nitrate and nitrite are the most used substances, as they play a role in curing meat products. However, If used in improper amounts, these compounds can generate N-nitrosamines, which are volatile amines linked to certain types of cancer. Monitoring nitrates and nitrite salts is crucial to ensure that only legally permitted compounds are added to produce meat and other processed foods. Therefore, this review outlines the development and application of analytical methods for detecting and measuring nitrates, nitrites, and nitrosamines in various samples. All information presented in this work is derived from a literature review of scientific articles in ScienceDirect®, Scopus®, and Web of Science®, encompassing publications from 2014 to 2024. The review examines chromatographic, spectrophotometric, and electroanalytical techniques, discussing the performance of each method, as well as their advantages, disadvantages, and implications for food and natural water analysis. Furthermore, recent studies highlight the dominance of chromatographic techniques for nitrosamine detection and electroanalytical methods for nitrate and nitrite analysis. The most common electroanalytical techniques, cyclic voltammetry, amperometry, differential pulse voltammetry, and square wave voltammetry, are emphasized for the detection of nitrates, nitrites, and nitrosamines in food, beverages, and natural water samples. Additionally, because electroanalytical responses depend heavily on the materials used as working electrodes, the most frequently employed electrode materials for detecting nitrates, nitrites, and N-nitrosamines are also discussed.