Hygienic Assessment of Nitrate Levels in Vegetable Products and Their Impact on Population Health

Introduction: Elevated nitrate levels in vegetable products have a negative impact on human health.

Objective: To study the nitrate content of vegetable products and assess their health effects in the adult and child population of the Arkhangelsk Region.

Materials and Methods: We used laboratory test reports to study the nitrate content of vegetable products produced in the Arkhangelsk Region (n = 5,909), other regions of the Russian Federation (n = 2,188), and CIS countries (n = 800). We also conducted a questionnaire-based survey to establish vegetable consumption by children (n = 390) and adults (n = 302) and calculated doses and hazard quotients (HQ) for different exposure scenarios. Median and 90th percentile were applied to describe the data. Nitrate levels in vegetables by origin were compared using the two-sample Wilcoxon test and the Kruskal-Wallis test.

Results: Vegetables grown in the Arkhangelsk Region were ranked based on their nitrate content in descending order as follows: leafy vegetables, beetroot, zucchini, cabbage, cucumbers, potatoes, carrots, onions, sweet peppers, and tomatoes. Among leafy vegetables, the highest nitrate concentrations were found in arugula (1,830 mg/kg), celery (1,790 mg/kg), lemon balm (1,750 mg/kg), and basil (1,710 mg/kg). Beetroot (38–58 %) and cucumbers (19–23 %) were found to contribute the most to the nitrate intake in the adult population while zucchini (18–45 %) and potatoes (10–16 %) – to that in children. Total hazard quotients were in the range of 0.80–7.60 and 1.13–11.16 for adults and children, respectively, depending on the exposure scenario.

Conclusion: High nitrate levels combined with high consumption rates of vegetable products pose an increased risk of systemic toxic effects for children and adults.

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