The Nitrate Content of Vegetable and Salad Crops Offered to the Consumer as from “Organic” or “Conventional” Production Systems
- 1 January 1988
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Biological Agriculture & Horticulture
- Vol. 5 (3) , 215-221
- https://doi.org/10.1080/01448765.1988.9755146
Abstract
This paper briefly reviews the source and extent of ingested nitrates in the human diet. In response to the possible health risk, several countries in Europe have set maximum and/or recommended concentrations of tissue nitrate in vegetables and salad crops. The consequence of adopting such limits in Great Britain is considered. In order to assess the range of nitrate concentrations in vegetables and salad crops, a market survey was conducted over two winters (1985 and 1986) with samples being taken from commercial outlets. Food offered as conventionally and organically produced was sampled. Samples of both organically and conventionally produced leafy winter vegetables contained high nitrate levels, some exceeding recommended and maximum levels in certain European countries. Various approaches to the minimisation of the dietary intake of nitrate are discussed.This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:
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- Nitrate and bromide contents of glasshouse radish as affected by soil content and global radiationCommunications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 1985
- Nitrate determination in plant extracts by the nitrate electrodeJournal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 1968