Assessment of nitrosamine exposure in Korean foods: analysis, risk evaluation, and implications

In Kyu Lee, Na Youn Park, So Young Park, Jun Hyeok Jeong, Jisu Lee, Bokyung Moon, Young Suk Kim, Junghoan Kim, Younglim Kho

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This study investigated the presence of nitrosamines, known carcinogens, in 1320 food samples from South Korea using LC-APCI-MS/MS analysis. Results showed nitrosamines were detected in 72% of samples, with processed foods exhibiting higher levels. Sesame oil, snow white rice cake, fried chicken wings, and fried squid were identified as having the highest nitrosamine content. Daily intake estimates revealed nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), nitrosodibutylamine (NDBA), and nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) as major contributors to exposure. Risk assessment, based on BMDL10 values and MOE calculations, indicated low health risks overall, but certain food groups at the 95th percentile showed MOEs below the safety threshold, warranting attention. This underscores the need for ongoing monitoring and regulation of nitrosamine levels in food products to protect public health, particularly in regions with high consumption of processed foods like South Korea. Further research and regulatory measures are crucial to minimize nitrosamine exposure and mitigate associated health risks.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2417-2426
Number of pages10
JournalFood Science and Biotechnology
Volume33
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Korean Society of Food Science and Technology 2024.

Keywords

  • Cooking
  • Food
  • Margin of exposure (MOE)
  • Nitrosamine
  • Risk assessment

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