Monitoring programme on nitrate in vegetables and vegetable-based baby foods marketed in the Region of Valencia: levels and estimated daily intake

Overview & Synopsis

The study was carried out to determine the current levels of nitrate in vegetable and vegetable-based baby foods (a total of 1150 samples) marketed in the Region of Valencia (Spain) over the period 2000-2008 and to estimate the toxicological risk associated with their intake. Average (median) levels of nitrate in lettuce, iceberg-type lettuce and spinach (1156, 798 and 1410 mg kg-1 w.w. respectively) were lower than the maximum limits established by the EU legislation. Thirteen fresh spinach samples exceeded the regulatory limits. Median nitrate values in other vegetables for which a maximum limit has not been fixed by the European Commission were 196, 203, 1597, 96, 4474 and 2572 mg kg-1 w.w. (for potato, carrot, chard, artichoke, rucola and lab's lettuce respectively). The estimated nitrate daily intake through vegetable consumption for adult, extreme consumers and children were found to be about 29%, 79.8% and 15.1% respectively, of the acceptable daily intake (3.7 mg kg-1). The levels (median value 60.4 mg kg-1 w.w.) found in vegetable-based baby foods were, in all cases, lower the maximum level proposed by EU legislation. The estimated nitrate daily intake through baby foods for infants between 0-1 and 1-2 years were 13% and 18% respectively, of the acceptable daily intake.