Assessment and Risk Analysis of Nitrosamines in Sausages From Northern Iran.

This study aimed to assess the levels of nitrosamines in sausages consumed in northern Iran and the associated health risks for consumers. For this purpose, two types of sausages, chicken and red meat (60 samples each), were randomly collected from meat product supply centers in the cities of Gilan province from December 2022 to March 2023. The levels of nitrosamines were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). For risk evaluation, BMDL10 and MOE were used. In chicken sausages, nitrosamine levels ranged from 0.38 μg/kg (NDPA) to 7.77 μg/kg (NMEA). Red meat sausages ranged from 0.69 μg/kg (NDBA) to 9.59 μg/kg (NMEA). According to the results of the statistical analysis, the level of NDBA in the two types of sausage samples did not show a significant difference. However, a significant difference was observed in the mean levels of other nitrosamines between the two types of sausages. Red meat sausages had the highest mean nitrosamine concentration at 30.71 ± 0.87 μg/kg. The MOE values for both sausage types were below 10,000, indicating a health risk for consumers. These findings indicate the need for regulatory intervention to control nitrite levels in sausages in Gilan province.