Contributo degli ortaggi all’assunzione giornaliera di nitrato, nitrito e nitrosammine

Last 31 January, the European Commission has issued the regulation 194/97 stating the maximum acceptable nitrate concentrations in lettuce and spinach. The presence of nitrate in vegetables, as in water and generally in other food products, is a serious threat to man's health, not so much due to its toxicity, which is low, but for the dangerous compounds it originates in the organism (e.g. methaemoglobin, nitrosamines). Data on occurrence of nitrate and nitrite in vegetables and on total dietary intakes are reviewed. Vegetables constitute the major source of nitrate providing 72-94% of the average daily human dietary intakes.