The EU wants to lower the limit values for nitrates and nitrites in food – and thus make nutrition safer. Among other things, this is intended to reduce the risk of absorbing potentially carcinogenic substances.
In the EU, food will in future be allowed to contain fewer nitrates and nitrites. The EU Commission decided on significantly lower limit values for the additives. The EU states had already agreed to the stricter guidelines in the spring.
The new regulations are intended to reduce the limit values for the two substances by around 20 percent. The basis for the new limit values is an assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Among other things, consumers should be protected from ingesting pathogenic bacteria such as listeria, salmonella or clostridia. In addition, the contamination of food with potentially carcinogenic substances such as nitrosamines can be reduced.
Nitrates and nitrites are used in the processing of foods, among other things, to make them more durable. Nitrosamines can therefore be found in a wide variety of foods, including cured meat, sausage and cheese products, oils or vegetable products, but also in beer or other alcoholic drinks. Nitrosamines are reaction products of nitrites or nitrogen oxides with amines and are considered potentially carcinogenic.
Nitrates, nitrites, nitrosamines – what is it?
Nitrates are nitrogen compounds that occur naturally in soil but are also found in fertilizers. They serve as nutrients for plants and are an important factor in their growth. Plants use the nitrogen from nitrate for their own metabolism and to build protein. Excess amounts of nitrate are stored by plants. Information from the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment According to the study, salads and vegetables such as arugula, spinach, kohlrabi, beetroot and radish can contain high amounts of nitrates. Nitrates themselves are therefore relatively harmless.
Nitrite is an intermediate product in the supply of nitrogen to the plant and is created with the help of microorganisms and enzymes. It can be formed in food, for example through improper storage or transport, as well as through disregard for common hygiene practices.
Nitrite can also be formed during digestion. In the body, nitrite can react with amines to form N-nitroso compounds (e.g. nitrosamines). Most of these compounds have been shown to be carcinogenic in animal studies. It is not yet clear whether this also applies to humans.
More certainty about safe food
The EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, welcomed the new limit values and emphasized that “citizens expect the certainty that they can eat safe food.” The new limits are a “further step in this direction” and an “important measure within the European plan to fight cancer”.
Kyriakides called on food industry companies to “swiftly implement these science-based regulations and, wherever possible, further reduce limits to protect the health of citizens.” Companies in the industry have two years to implement the guidelines for the new limit values.