Randomised Controlled Trial to Investigate N-nitrosamine Formation After Meat Intake - Pilot Study of the Nitrate INFORMER Studies; Nitrate INFORMER Studies: Is Nitrosamine FORMation dEpenent on souRce

Detailed Summary

Nitrate is a controversial component of vegetables, meat, and drinking water. The now well-established benefits of nitrate, through the enterosalivary nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide (NO) pathway, on cardiovascular risk factors and long-term cardiovascular disease risk are tarnished by a continuing concern about a link between nitrate ingestion and cancer. This can result in misguided advice to avoid consumption of high-nitrate leafy green vegetables by both the media and the scientific literature. A recent media headline stated, "Cancer alert over rocket: trendy salad leaves exceed safe levels of carcinogenic nitrates in one in every ten samples". One scientific review stated, "the presence of nitrate in vegetables, as in water and generally in other foods, is a serious threat to man's health". Controversy in the literature, and gaps in the knowledge are leading to confusing messages around vegetables that may play a critical role in cardiovascular health. The major dietary sources of nitrate are vegetables, meat, and drinking water. Source of nitrate could be a crucial factor determining whether the consumption of nitrate is linked with beneficial (such as improving cardiovascular health) versus harmful (N-nitrosamine formation) effects. For example, unlike meat and water-derived nitrate, vegetables contain high levels of vitamin C and/or polyphenols that may inhibit the production of N-nitrosamines. So far, no study has investigated the formation of N-nitrosamines after consumption of these different sources in humans. A pilot study will be conducted to determine that endogenous N-nitrosamine formation is observed after ingestion of meat with added nitrate and nitrite and that consumption of vegetables with the meat containing added nitrate and nitrite will inhibit the production of N-nitrosamines.

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