Ascorbic acid vitamin nitrosamine formation inhibition

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is known to inhibit nitrosamine formation. For this reason, manufacturers of cured meat are now required to add vitamin C to their meat products. 

Nitrosamines are produced in foodstuffs from reactions of nitrites (added as preservatives to bacon and other processed meat products) with amines in (or derived from) the foodstuff, particularly during cooking, e.g., frying anti-oxidants such as ascorbic acid (vitamin C) are added to such foodstuffs to inhibit formation of nitrosamines. A source of nitrosamines that may be of interest to some analytical chemists is beer, in this case attributed (Sen 1983) to reaction of nitrogen oxides with alkaloids (usually present in germinated malt) during the drying process. NMDA can also be formed inadvertently in a number of industrial processes. 

Inhibition of nitrosation is generally accompHshed by substances that compete effectively for the active nitrosating iatermediate. /V-Nitrosamine formation in vitro can be inhibited by ascorbic acid [50-81-7] (vitamin C) and a-tocopherol [59-02-9] (vitamin E) (61,62), as well as by several other classes of compounds including pyrroles, phenols, and a2iridines (63—65). Inhibition of iatragastric nitrosation ia humans by ascorbic acid and by foods such as fmit and vegetable juices or food extracts has been reported ia several instances (26,66,67). 

Inhibitors of nitrosation generally function by competing with the amine for the nitrosating agent. An inhibitor would thus react with nitrite at a faster rate than with amines. The inhibition reaction has recently been reviewed ( 35). The ability of ascorbate to act as a potent inhibitor of nitrosamine formation has resulted in the use of the vitamin in nitrite-preserved foods and pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, the effectiveness of ascorbate in inhibiting nitrosamine formation is dependent on (1) the concentration of ascorbate (an excess is required) (2) pH (ascorbate is nitrosated 240 times more rapidly than ascorbic acid) (3) the reactivity of the amine toward nitrosation and (4) the extent of oxygenation of the system. 

Review of Ascorbic Acid Mechanisms of Action. Ascorbic acid and AP have antioxidant activity in fats, oils, vitamin A, and carotenoids. In these systems AP is a better antioxidant than are the phenolic antioxidants BHT and BHA, both from these data and others (29,35). Ascorbic acid protects against oxidation of flavor compounds in wine, beer, fruits, artichokes, and cauliflower (29) presumably by oxygen scavenging. The well-known formation of nitric oxide from nitrites by ascorbic acid is used not only for inhibition of nitrosamine fortnation, but also to promote... 

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