SEASONAL CHANGES IN NITRATE AND NITRITE CONTENT IN VEGETABLE PRODUCTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47390/ydif-y2026v2i12/n03Keywords:
Nitrates, nitrites, vegetable products, seasonal changes, leafy vegetables, methemoglobinemia, nitrogen fertilizers, food safety.Abstract
Today, public health and food security are one of the most pressing global issues. Vegetables are one of the main food sources that provide the human body with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and biologically active compounds. At the same time, as a result of the widespread use of nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture, excessive accumulation of nitrates and nitrites in vegetables is observed.
Nitrates (NO₃⁻) are natural nitrogen compounds that play an important role in plant nutrition. Plants absorb nitrates from the soil and use them in the synthesis of proteins and other organic substances. However, due to improper agrotechnical measures, excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers, lack of light, and unfavorable meteorological factors, nitrates can accumulate in excessive quantities in plant tissues. A certain part of nitrates is converted into nitrites in the human body or during the storage of products. Nitrites, on the other hand, convert hemoglobin to methemoglobin, causing oxygen deficiency in tissues.
Seasonal factors have a significant impact on the content of nitrates in vegetables. In particular, in the spring and winter seasons, it is observed that the content of nitrates in products grown in greenhouses is higher than in products grown in the open field in the summer months. Therefore, the study of seasonal changes in nitrates and nitrites in vegetable products is of great hygienic, ecological and medical importance.
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