Recently, Bazhong City, Sichuan Province, a result of misuse of nitrite caused by the rural self-organized banquet food poisoning incident.

What is nitrite?

Nitrite is a kind of nitrogen-containing inorganic compounds prevalent in nature. Its appearance is similar to that of salt, white to pale yellow, powder or granular, odorless, slightly salty, easy to dissolve and dissolve in water; Additives are used in meat products. Common nitrite mainly sodium nitrite and potassium nitrite and other substances.

What are the causes of food poisoning caused by nitrite? How much of the intake (nitrite) can cause death?

Common nitrite causes food poisoning in the following cases. First, eating misuse: As nitrite in appearance and salt similar to the mistaken use of nitrite as salt or consumption, is the main cause of poisoning, the above event is a typical case together. Second, the excessive use of food additives Nitrite substances: nitrite is the production of meat products commonly used in color protection and preservatives, to keep the product color bright, and can inhibit the propagation of Clostridium botulinum. If the excessive use or use of some unknown ingredients of the compound additives, it may cause excessive residual nitrite, causing food poisoning. As nitrite is a prerequisite for carcinogenic nitrosamines, long-term consumption of high nitrite residue food will increase the risk of cancer. Third, due to the high content of nitrate in fresh vegetables, easily converted to nitrite, just pickled vegetables in the near future nitrite content will increase, in this case easy to lead to poisoning. There are some areas of groundwater nitrate and nitrite content is higher, long-term drinking will be poisoned.

Nitrite into the human body, the blood hypoxia hemoglobin by its oxidation into methemoglobin, which lost the function of oxygen delivery, resulting in tissue hypoxia, bruising and poisoning. When the nitrite intake of 0.2 ~ 0.5g can lead to poisoning, more than 3g can cause death.

China's national standards for food safety of nitrite in the use of food limited and the amount of what provisions?

China's national standards for food safety of the use of nitrite has a clear requirement: "national standards for food safety food additives use standard" (GB 2760-2014) provides sodium nitrite, potassium nitrite can be used as color protection agent, preservatives in the cured meat Products, sauerkraut meat products, fried meat, Western ham, canned meat and smoked, burning, barbecue and other meat products used in the processing, the maximum use of 0.15g / kg. And the maximum residue (sodium nitrite) made clear: Western-style ham class ≤ 70mg / kg; meat canned ≤ 50mg / kg; other meat products require ≤ 30mg / kg.

How consumers and food producers and operators should prevent nitrite from causing food poisoning

Consumers should strengthen self-protection awareness, to prevent eating nitrite-induced food poisoning. Recommended consumers to buy regular channels of sales of salt. Be careful to eat fresh vegetables, do not eat too long or deterioration of vegetables. Pickled vegetables to pickled after eating, the general two weeks after the gradual reduction of nitrite content, 30 days after the basic undetectable, you can rest assured that consumption. In the consumption of processed meat products, pickles and other food, can be used with rich in vitamin C, tea polyphenols and other ingredients of food to reduce the toxicity may contain nitrite. For the high nitrite content of groundwater, must be treated to meet the national drinking water standards before drinking.

Food production operators in the use of nitrite, should be strictly in accordance with the use of food additives standard feeding, set up special and special places custody, double double lock, strict supervision, to prevent misuse and loss. At the same time for the compound curing agent must clarify the product formula, accounting for the content of nitrite in the product, scientific use, standardized management, reduce the risk of excessive nitrite in food.