The effect of antioxidants on the production of volatile nitrosamines during the frying of bacon.

In model system studies simulating the frying of bacon a considerable variation in the production of N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NOPyr) has been observed, as occurs in sliced bacon fried conventionally. The inclusion of ascorbate or erythorbate (isoacorbate) has led consistently to a fall in or an elimination of NOPyr production up to an addition of 300 ppm (1,5 mM). Above this concentration of ascorbate, the elimination of NOPyr formation persisted in some instances but in others an increased production of the nitrosamine occurred. Using alpha-tocopherol, a fall of NOPyr production during the simulated frying of bacon was obtained with increase of concentration of the antioxidant, there being a consistent elimination of the volatile nitrosamine following an additionof 500 ppm (1.16 mM). Whilst ascorbyl palmitate had a similar action in reducing or eliminating NOPyr production, no synergistic effect between it and alpha-tocopherol was noted in an experiment combining the two antioxidants. When bacon was fried in fat containing 400 or 800 ppm alpha-tocopherol, the total production of NOPyr and DMN in the fried bacon, cooked out fat and condensate was markedly reduced but not completely eliminated as in the model system studies. Similarly, the curing of bacon with a brine containing a mixture of alpha-tocopherol, ascorbyl palmitate and citric acid has led to considerable reductions in NOPyr and DMN output on frying when the combined concentrations of the two anti-oxidants were calculated to be 800 ppm.