The effect of oxygen on nitrosamine formation in bacon

Bacon has been cooked in air and in nitrogen atmospheres and the effect on the formation of N-nitrosodimethylamine and N-nitrosopyrrolidine has been studied. Under nitrogen, reductions of 50%-90% were obtained in the concentrations of both nitrosamines in the cooking vapour. The results are discussed in terms of the likely role of nitric oxide in nitrosamine formation in cooking bacon.