Dietary intake of nitrate in India

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the nitrate content of different foods from Andhra Pradesh, India. The nitrate content of cereals ranged from 20 to 76 ppm; pulses, 39 to 114 ppm; leafy vegetables, 30 to 270 ppm; nuts and oil seeds, 8 to 113 ppm; other vegetables 180 to 4000 ppm; roots and tubers 31 to 2043 ppm; and in condiments and spices, 145 to 4680 ppm. Large variations were noted for all food groups. The percentage contribution of nitrates from food substances in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, computated from diet surveys, is as follows: cereals, 22.3%; pulses, 2.21%; leafy vegetables, 1.38%; nontuberous vegetables, 34.3%; roots and tubers, 4.12%; nuts and oil seeds, 3.5%; and condiments and spices, 32.1%. The possible implications of high nitrate load are discussed.