Monitoring programme on nitrates in vegetables and vegetable-based baby foods marketed in the Region of Valencia, Spain: levels and estimated daily intake

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the current levels of nitrates in vegetables and vegetable-based baby foods (a total of 1150 samples) marketed in the Region of Valencia, Spain, over the period 2000–2008, and to estimate the toxicological risk associated with their intake. Average (median) levels of nitrate in lettuce, iceberg-type lettuce and spinach (1156, 798 and 1410 mg kg⁻¹ w/w, respectively) were lower than the maximum limits established by European Union legislation. Thirteen fresh spinach samples exceeded the regulatory limits. Median nitrate values in other vegetables for which a maximum limit has not been fixed by the European Commission were 196, 203, 1597, 96, 4474 and 2572 mg kg⁻¹ w/w (for potato, carrot, chard, artichoke, rucola and lamb's lettuce, respectively). The estimated nitrate daily intakes through vegetables consumption for adult, extreme consumers and children were found to be about 29%, 79.8% and 15.1%, respectively, of the acceptable daily intake (3.7 mg kg⁻¹). The levels (median = 60.4 mg kg⁻¹ w/w) found in vegetable-based baby foods were, in all cases, lower the maximum level proposed by European Union legislation. The estimated nitrate daily intake through baby foods for infants between 0–1 and 1–2 years of age were 13% and 18%, respectively, of the acceptable daily intake.

Keywords:

• exposure
• high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
• risk assessment
• quality assurance
• nitrate
• baby food
• vegetables

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to all inspectors from the Public Health Department of Valencia Regional Government who participated in the monitoring programme. They also thank the technicians of the Public Health Laboratory of Valencia, Spain.