HEALTH

Nitrosamines in food: potential health risks and the foods in which they are present

The EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority, investigated consumer exposure to nitrosamines in food to understand the level of health risk, and the results raise concerns.

Nitrosamines can pose a health risk because some of them, and ten in particular, are carcinogenic and genotoxic. Nitrosamines are compounds that can form in food during its preparation and processing and can be present in some common food categories, including but not limited to meat, fish and processed foods.

In this photo gallery we tell you about the findings from the survey, the foods in which nitrosamines are present, and tips for trying to reduce their intake. (Source: EFSA)

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Consumer exposure to nitrosamines.
The EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority, has investigated consumer exposure to nitrosamines in food to understand whether there is a health risk, and the results raise concerns. Nitrosamines are in fact compounds that can form in foods during their preparation and processing and can be present in some common food categories. (Source: EFSA)
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Why is the presence of nitrosamines of concern?
Nitrosamines are a health hazard because some of them, and ten in particular, are carcinogenic and genotoxic: in the former case they can cause cancer, and in the latter they can damage DNA. The food group that contributes most to nitrosamine exposure, as reported by EFSA, is meat and meat products.
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The research
To understand the health risks associated with the presence of nitrosamines, the EFSA examined their potential harm to humans and animals and by assessing consumer exposure. As reported by EFSA, Dr. Dieter Schrenk, chairman of the Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain, said he was concerned about all age groups in the EU population because of the level of exposure to nitrosamines in food. For example, processed fish is another of the food categories in which nitrosamine has been found.
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The researchers' scenario
As reported by Dr. Schrenk, and reported by EFSA, the research was based on animal studies, and the incidence of liver tumours in rodents was considered the most critical health effect. The researchers created a worst-case scenario for risk assessment by assuming that all nitrosamines in food had the same potential to cause cancer in humans as the most harmful nitrosamine (although this is considered unlikely). The creation of the 'worst case scenario is done to ensure a high level of consumer protection'.
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Foods in which nitrosamine is contained
As we have already mentioned, nitrosamines have been found in several food groups: mainly in meat, but also in processed fish, and cocoa. Other foods in which nitrosamines are present are beer, some alcoholic beverages, processed vegetables, cereals, milk and dairy products, or fermented, pickled, and spiced foods.
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Risk management
The EFSA reports that currently there are still some knowledge gaps on the presence of nitrosamines in specific food categories, and that the results of this investigation will be shared with the European Commission, which will determine together with national authorities the necessary risk management measures. The advice is to try to reduce nitrosamine intake by balancing the diet with a wider variety of foods.
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