Studies on Nitrosamines in Foods (V) Distribution of Secondary Amines in Foods (2)

Abstract

Secondary amines are known as one of the precursors of nitrosamines which are potent carcinogenic compounds for human being and animals. Distribution and the contents of secondary amines in commercial foods, several kinds of meat, meat products and dairy products were described. Comparing the amounts of secondary amines in raw oods with the amounts in cooked or processed foods, it was proved that the contents of secondary amines in the cooked or processed foods increased markedly. So far as meats were concerned, whale meat showed the highest content of dimethylamine, while the meats of mutton, chicken, pork and beef contained less amount of dimethylamine with trace of diethylamine. Sausage showed larger amounts of dimethylamine than the contents in bacon and ham, because the materials of sausage consisted of pork, whale, mutton and tuna. In dairy products, modified powdered milk showed about five times as much dimethylamine as milk, while the contents in butter and processed cheese were trace. In the case of mackerel and cuttlefish, it was observed that boiled, roasted, canned or dried samples contained more amount of secondary amines than raw samples. © 1971, Japanese Society for Food Hygiene and Safety. All rights reserved.