L’Efsa sounded the alarm about consumer exposure to nitrosammine contained in some foods that can be carcinogenic and capable of increasing the chances of the onset of cancer, especially of the liver, esophagus and stomach.
Doctor Dieter Schrenkchairman of EFSA’s panel of scientific experts on contaminants in the food chain said that from the results that emerged from the research, for all age groups of the EU population the level of exposure to nitrosamines in food raises concerns for Health.
So risks for everyone, from the elderly to children. The magnifying glass is mainly aimed at 10 types of nitrosamines contained in various foods. To guarantee a high level of protection for consumers, the researchers proposed the worst case scenario, ie the hypothesis that all the nitrosamines present in food have the same carcinogenic potential in humans as the most harmful of the nitrosamines. This is unlikely, say the experts, but it is not enough to keep the alarm bar high on the compound. We see what are nitrosamines and where they are.
What are nitrosamines
The nitrosammine are chemical compounds that are formed in foods following their preparation and transformation. Their formation is stimulated by cooking at high temperatures or occurs naturally in the body during digestion, when nitrites, due to the acidic environment such as the stomach, are transformed into nitrous acid, which by reaction with a secondary amino group then gives rise to nitrosamines. Nitrites are found naturally in various natural foods such as vegetables and drinking water but are also used as preservatives because they are able to prevent the development of potentially very dangerous pathogenic microorganisms. Nitrites in the transformation process can turn into nitrosamines and become dangerous to health.
Some nitrosamines can be carcinogenic and genotoxic, i.e. capable of damaging DNA. Animal studies have ascertained that the greatest risk for those who take a large amount of nitrosamines is the onset of liver cancer. In its study, EFSA has now assessed the potential harm caused by nitrosamines to humans. The report will now be sent to the European Commission which will discuss with member states what legislative steps can be taken to try to stem the problem.
In which foods they are present and how to defend yourself
Nitrosamines are contained in various foods, especially those based on meat obtained by salting (especially cured meats), but also processed fish, cocoa, beer, alcoholic beverages. Their presence is also not excluded in cooked meat, processed vegetables, cereals, dairy products or in fermented, pickled and spiced foods. However, there are still many knowledge gaps on the presence of this chemical compound in other food categories.
How to defend yourself? According to EFSA implement a diet as varied and balanced as possible, it represents a solution to help consumers reduce the intake of these potentially harmful substances.