Determination Of Nitrate, Nitrite, N-Nitrosamine, Cyanide And Ascorbic Acid Contents Of Fruit Juices Marketed In Eastern Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

The nitrate, nitrite, N-nitrosamine, ascorbic acid content as well as cyanide levels of eight brands of fruit juices marketed at retail outlets and consumed in Eastern Nigeria were determined. Nitrite was determined by spectrophotometric method, Nitrate after reduction to nitrite with cadmium column and nitrosamine after decomposition to nitrite by ultraviolet irradiation. Ascorbic acid was determined by titrimetric method while cyanide was determined by enzymatic method. The values of nitrate and nitrite concentration in mg/I was 2.29-16.50 and 5.50-12.03 respectively while nitrosamine detected in four out of the eight samples analyzed was at a concentration of 2.75- 45.7omglL. Ascorbic acid concentration of the samples varied from 100-400mg/L while no detectable amount cyanide was found. The result of this work is discussed from nutritional and toxicological points of view.