Determination of Nitrate and Nitrite in Meat and Dairy Products

Abstract

Methods were developed to extract nitrate and nitrite from processed meat and dry milk samples and then to analyze directly using anion exchange chromatog. with UV detection. Com. available infant formula, dry milk, ham and salami were used as model samples. The meat method allows for determination of nitrate and nitrite at the sub-mg/L levels. Excellent recovery, linearity, accuracy and precision of the milk method were reported for non-fat dry milk and infant formula. Several other samples gave low recovery of nitrate. It is suggested that the low nitrate recovery is associated with the use of the OnGuard-RP cartridge.