The occurrence of volatile N-nitrosamines in Estonian meat products

Abstract

N-Nitrosamines (NAs) are a group of carcinogens, which have been detected in various meat products. The level of five NAs, namely N-nitrosodimethylamine, N-nitrosodiethylamine, N-nitrosodibutylamine, N-nitrosopiperidine, and N-nitrosopyrrolidine was determined in 386 various samples of meat during 2001–2005. Raw, fried, grilled, smoked, pickled, and canned meat products were analyzed. For a sample cleaning the two-step solid-phase extraction with Extrelut and Florisil sorbents was used. NAs were separated by gas chromatography and detected by positive-ion chemical ionization using ammonia as reagent gas. The HP 6890 Plus GC/HP 5973 MSD was used in the selected ion-monitoring mode with pulsed splitless injection. In this work, the limit of detection and the limit of quantitation of NA were approximately 0.09 and 0.29 μg/kg, respectively, with about 85% recovery. NDMA was noted in above 88% of samples, NDEA in 27%, NPYR in 90%, NPIP in 65%, and NDBA in 33% at the mean levels of 0.85, 0.36, 4.14, 0.98, and 0.37 μg/kg, respectively. The level of total volatile NAs with the mean of 3.97 μg/kg was calculated.