Acta Scientific Nutritional Health (ASNH)(ISSN: 2582-1423)

Review Article Volume 5 Issue 6

Dietary Nitrates, Nitrites, and Food Safety: Risks Versus Benefits

Keith R Martin*

Center for Nutraceutical and Dietary Supplement Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, USA

*Corresponding Author: Keith R Martin, Center for Nutraceutical and Dietary Supplement Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, USA.

Received: April 08, 2021; Published: May 26, 2021

Abstract

  Atmospheric nitrogen, via the environmental nitrogen cycle, is captured, or fixed, by symbiotic bacteria interacting with plants. Nitrates, as a result, are intermediates in the movement of atmospheric nitrogen into the food chain with rich dietary sources including red spinach, beetroot, etc. Nitrate-rich fertilizers may further increase nitrogen content of plants. Other sources include potable water, dietary supplements and food additives. Although prevalent in the diet, nitrates have been viewed negatively because they chemically form carcinogenic nitrosamines in acidic environments, e.g. stomach, purportedly leading to gastric cancer as well as neoplasia of the intestine, brain, pancreas, and contributing to Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Other reports indicate associations with hyperthyroidism and diabetes mellitus. A second major concern with dietary nitrate consumption is the development of methemoglobinemia particularly in infants caused by increases in methemoglobin where heme iron is oxidized to ferric iron and unable to bind and transport oxygen. In contrast, the recent discoveries of the vital gasotransmitter function of nitric oxide derived from dietary nitrates and nitrites, endogenous production, and endogenous recycling and considerable concentration in saliva have revealed the importance of nitrates to health including improved cardiovascular function (reductions in blood pressure), improved cognition, reduced platelet aggregation, and enhanced blood flow to ischemic (hypoxic) and/or exercising tissues. As a result, dietary supplementation may represent an effective, inexpensive option for individuals with vascular disorders and a safe, efficacious means of enhancing performance in both recreational and competitive athletes. Given the myriad beneficial effects tempered by the purported negative effects, it is timely to revisit the conundrum of risk versus benefit from dietary nitrates.

Keywords:Dietary Nitrates; Food Safety; Soil Quality

References

  1. MH Ward., et al. “Drinking water nitrate and human health: An updated review”. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health7 (2018).
  2. Z Bian., et al. “A review of environment effects on nitrate accumulation in leafy vegetables grown in controlled environments”. Foods6 (2020).
  3. G Colla., et al. “Nitrate in fruits and vegetables”. Scientia Horticulturae 237 (2018): 221-238.
  4. Z Kalaycloǧlu and F B Erim. “Nitrate and Nitrites in Foods: Worldwide Regional Distribution in View of Their Risks and Benefits”. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry26 (2019): 7205-7222.
  5. H Salehzadeh., et al. “The nitrate content of fresh and cooked vegetables and their health-related risks”. PLoS One1 (2020).
  6. S Johnson. “Methemoglobinemia: Infants at risk”. Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care 3 (2019): 57-67.
  7. HS Clausen., et al. “Association between drinking water nitrate and adverse reproductive outcomes: A systematic PRISMA review”. Water (Switzerland)8 (2020).
  8. Z Bahadoran., et al. “Nitrate-rich dietary supplementation during pregnancy: The pros and cons”. Pregnancy Hypertens 11 (2018): 44-46.
  9. M Q Alanazi. “Drugs may be Induced Methemoglobinemia”. Journal of Hematology and Thromboembolic Diseases 01 (2017).
  10. J E Park., et al. “Distribution of Seven N-Nitrosamines in Food”. Toxicology Research3 (2015): 278-288.
  11. P Song., et al. “Dietary nitrates, nitrites, and nitrosamines intake and the risk of gastric cancer: A meta-analysis”. Nutrients12 (2015).
  12. N Rivera., et al. “Uncured-Labeled Meat Products Produced Using Plant-Derived Nitrates and Nitrites: Chemistry, Safety, and Regulatory Considerations”. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 29 (2019): 8074:8084.
  13. M S Yousefi., et al. “Esophageal cancer in the world: incidence, mortality and risk factors”. Biomedical Research and Therapy 7 (2018).
  14. M Karwowska and A Kononiuk. “Nitrates/nitrites in food—risk for nitrosative stress and benefits”. Antioxidants3 (2020).
  15. G J Buchan., et al. “Nitro-fatty acid formation and metabolism”. Nitric Oxide - Biology and Chemistry 79 (2018): 38-44.
  16. B S Rocha., et al. “Ethyl nitrite is produced in the human stomach from dietary nitrate and ethanol, releasing nitric oxide at physiological pH: Potential impact on gastric motility”. Free Radical Biology and Medicine 82 (2015): 1-206.
  17. J Schullehner., et al. “Nitrate in drinking water and colorectal cancer risk: A nationwide population-based cohort study”. International Journal of Cancer 1 (2018).
  18. JE Berends., et al. “Consumption of nitrate-rich beetroot juice with or without vitamin C supplementation increases the excretion of urinary nitrate, nitrite, and N-nitroso compounds in humans”. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 9 (2019).
  19. G Grosso., et al. “Health risk factors associated with meat, fruit and vegetable consumption in cohort studies: A comprehensive meta-analysis”. PLoS One8 (2017).
  20. B Aschebrook-Kilfoy., et al. “Dietary nitrate and nitrite intake and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma”. Lymphoma 54.5 (2013): 945-950.
  21. M Yu., et al. “The relationship between consumption of nitrite or nitrate and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma”. Scientific Report1 (2020): 551.
  22. K H Barry., et al. “Ingested Nitrate and Nitrite and Bladder Cancer in Northern New England”. Epidemiology1 (2020): 136-144.
  23. E García Torres., et al. “Consumption of water contaminated by nitrate and its deleterious effects on the human thyroid gland: a review and update”. International Journal of Environmental Health Research (2020).
  24. L C Blekkenhorst., et al. “Nitrate, the oral microbiome, and cardiovascular health: A systematic literature review of human and animal studies”. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 4 (2018): 504-522.
  25. M Siervo., et al. “Does dietary nitrate say NO to cardiovascular ageing? Current evidence and implications for research”. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2 (2018).
  26. ST J McDonagh., et al. “Potential benefits of dietary nitrate ingestion in healthy and clinical populations: A brief review”. European Journal of Sport Science1 (2019).
  27. J K Jackson., et al. “The role of inorganic nitrate and nitrite in cardiovascular disease risk factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of human evidence”. Nutrion Review5 (2018): 348-371.
  28. R Misra., et al. “Red Meat Consumption (Heme Iron Intake) and Risk for Diabetes and Comorbidities?”. Current Diabetes Reports11 (2018): 100.
  29. Z Bahadoran., et al. “Nitrate-nitrite-nitrosamines exposure and the risk of type 1 diabetes: A review of current data”. World Journal of Diabetes18 (2016): 433-440.
  30. Z Bahadoran., et al. “Different Pharmacokinetic Response to an Acute Dose of Inorganic Nitrate in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes”. Drug Targets 20 (2020).
  31. P Mirmiran., et al. “Functional properties of beetroot (Beta vulgaris) in management of cardio-metabolic diseases”. Nutrition and Metabolism1 (2020).
  32. S Ogoh., et al. “The effect of changes in cerebral blood flow on cognitive function during exercise”. Physiological Report9 (2014).
  33. E L Wightman., et al. “Dietary nitrate modulates cerebral blood flow parameters and cognitive performance in humans: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover investigation”. Physiological Behavior 149 (2015): 149-158.
  34. P J Joris., et al. “Cerebral blood flow measurements in adults: A review on the effects of dietary factors and exercise”. Nutrients5 (2018): 530.
  35. J L Fan., et al. “Oral nitrate supplementation differentially modulates cerebral artery blood velocity and prefrontal tissue oxygenation during 15 km time-trial cycling in normoxia but not in hypoxia”. Frontiers in Physiology 9 (2018).
  36. J Kelly., et al. “Effects of short-term dietary nitrate supplementation on blood pressure, O2 uptake kinetics, and muscle and cognitive function in older adults”. American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 2 (2013): 73-83.
  37. L Stanaway., et al. “Performance and health benefits of dietary nitrate supplementation in older adults: A systematic review”. Nutrients11 (2017).
  38. C C Diaconu., et al. “The erectile dysfunction as a marker of cardiovascular disease: a review”. Acta Cardiologica4 (2020).
  39. P K Kavoussi., et al. “S-nitrosylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase impacts erectile function”. International Journal of Impotence Research 1 (2019).
  40. MN Woessner., et al. “Dietary nitrate supplementation in cardiovascular health: An ergogenic aid or exercise therapeutic?”. American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology2 (2018).
  41. A M Jones., et al. “Dietary nitrate and physical performance”. Annual Review of Nutrition 38 (2018): 303-328.
  42. C Affourtit., et al. “On the mechanism by which dietary nitrate improves human skeletal muscle function”. Frontiers in Physiology 6 (2015).
  43. K J Curtis., et al. “Acute dietary nitrate supplementation and exercise performance in COPD: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised controlled pilot study”. PLoS One12 (2015).
  44. K Vitale and A Getzin. “Nutrition and supplement update for the endurance athlete: Review and recommendations”. Nutrients6 (2019).
  45. M F Montenegro., et al. “Blood Pressure-Lowering Effect of Orally Ingested Nitrite Is Abolished by a Proton Pump Inhibitor”. Hypertension1 (2017).
  46. E Cunningham. “Dietary Nitrates and Nitrites-Harmful? Helpful? Or Paradox?”. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics9 (2013): 1268.
  47. J Yaguchi and S Yaguchi. “Evolution of nitric oxide regulation of gut function”. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America12 (2019): 5607-5612.
  48. J L Wallace., et al. “Gaseous Mediators in Gastrointestinal Mucosal Defense and Injury”. Digestive Diseases and Sciences9 (2017): 2223-2230.
  49. AD van den Brand., et al. “Assessment of the combined nitrate and nitrite exposure from food and drinking water: application of uncertainty around the nitrate to nitrite conversion factor”. Food Additives and Contaminants: Part A4 (2020).
  50. M Habermeyer., et al. “Nitrate and nitrite in the diet: How to assess their benefit and risk for human health”. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research1 (2015).

Citation

Citation: Keith R Martin. “Dietary Nitrates, Nitrites, and Food Safety: Risks Versus Benefits".Acta Scientific Nutritional Health 5.6 (2021): 65-76.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2021 Keith R Martin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.




Metrics

Acceptance rate30%
Acceptance to publication20-30 days
Impact Factor1.316

Indexed In





News and Events


  • Certification for Review
    Acta Scientific certifies the Editors/reviewers for their review done towards the assigned articles of the respective journals.
  • Submission Timeline for Upcoming Issue
    The last date for submission of articles for regular Issues is July 10, 2024.
  • Publication Certificate
    Authors will be issued a "Publication Certificate" as a mark of appreciation for publishing their work.
  • Best Article of the Issue
    The Editors will elect one Best Article after each issue release. The authors of this article will be provided with a certificate of "Best Article of the Issue"
  • Welcoming Article Submission
    Acta Scientific delightfully welcomes active researchers for submission of articles towards the upcoming issue of respective journals.

Contact US