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Updated: Aug 7, 2026

A General Method for Detecting Nitrosamide Formation in the In Vitro Metabolism of Nitrosamines by Cytochrome P450s
Published on: September 25, 2017
Occurrence of the nitrosamide precursor pyrrolidin-(2)-one in food and tobacco
P Mende1, D Ziebarth, R Preussmann
1German Cancer Research Center, Department of Environmental Carcinogens, Heidelberg.
Abstract:
Pyrrolidinone was identified in food and tobacco samples by gas chromatography combined with NO-specific chemiluminescence detection (TEA). Up to 77 mg/kg pyrrolidinone were detected in cocoa powders, coffee, coffee surrogates, dried vegetables and tobacco leaves. When treated with excess nitrite under acidic conditions, N-nitrosopyrrolidinone was formed in concentrations up to 44 mg/kg. The nitrosation characteristics of pyrrolidinone indicate its possible conversion to nitrosopyrrolidinone under conditions of the gastric tract.
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