Question

Nitrosamines are found in cured meats due to the reaction of amines with nitrous acid (during curing) and these nitrosamines are carcinogenic in nature

(a) Yes

(b) No

(c) No data available

(d) Work under progress

I have been asked this question in an internship interview.

Enquiry is from Principles of Food Pickling and Curing-2 in portion Principles of Semi-Moist Foods, Principles of Food Preservation by Fermentation, Principles of Food Pickling and Curing and Principles of Food Storage Stability of Food Engineering

Answer 1

Correct answer is (d) Work under progress

Easy explanation: According to the chemical reaction and chemistry involved, reaction of amines with nitrous acid should yield Nitrosamine. Also, it is proven that these are carcinogenic. But the manufacturers refuse to accept their presence in cured meats and that they are isolated during the curing process. Hence this concern is still under progress.