Nitrate – How to find plant sources of nitrate
Researchers from Kingston University; Surrrey, United Kingdom, presented a new, accurate, reliable ion chromatography method for measuring nitrate NO3– and nitrite NO2– in food products [The primary aim of this study was to develop a new accurate, reliable and robust ion chromatography].
Their method of measuring nitrate and nitrite contents is applied to three vegetable juices: beet, black radish and celery juices, and to five vegetable powders: beet, spinach, celery, carrot and tomato powders.
On average, the results were as follows:
Samples | Nitrate NO3concentration –
[mg kg-1] |
Nitrite NO2concentration –
[mg kg-1] |
Beet juice | 476 | 38 |
Black radish juice | 799 | Not determined |
Celery juice | 256 | Not determined |
Beet powder | 16478 | 79 |
Spinach powder | 28867 | 42 |
Celery powder | 717 | 11 |
Carrot powder | 621 | Not determined |
Tomato powder | 113 | 27 |
The authors drew attention to spinach powder. While the results of measurements of nitrate NO concentrations3– and nitrite NO2– in beet juice give rise to significant variations when, on the same batch, the measurements are repeated several times a day or from one day to the next, the results of the measurements of nitrate NO concentrations3– and in nitrite NO2– spinach powder are, on the contrary, remarkably stable from one control to another. (1)
Source (1): Shah, I., Petroczy, A., James, R.A. and Naughton, D.P. (2013) Determination of nitrate and nitrite content of dietary supplements using ion chromatography. Journal of Analytical and Bioanalytical Techniques S12:003.doi:10.4172/2155-9872.S12-003