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Nitrite and Nitrate in Cancer

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Nitrite and Nitrate in Human Health and Disease

Part of the book series: Nutrition and Health ((NH))

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Abstract

Animal studies have demonstrated the carcinogenicity of nitrite at large doses, but this occurs primarily under conditions leading to formation of nitrosamines. Human exposure to nitrate is primarily through consumption of green leafy or root vegetables, a significant portion of which concentrates in saliva where it is reduced to nitrite by oral bacteria. Those amounts far exceed the usual intake from processed meats. Epidemiological studies do not provide sufficient evidence of cancer risk from consumption of either nitrate or nitrite from any sources. As of this writing, there is insufficient evidence to infer causality in this putative relationship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Program Leader for Human Nutrition, USDA Agricultural Research Service, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., Beltsville, MD, 20705-5138, USA

    David M. Klurfield Ph.D.

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  1. David M. Klurfield Ph.D.
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Correspondence to David M. Klurfield Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA

    Nathan S. Bryan

  2. Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Joseph Loscalzo

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Klurfield, D.M. (2017). Nitrite and Nitrate in Cancer. In: Bryan, N., Loscalzo, J. (eds) Nitrite and Nitrate in Human Health and Disease. Nutrition and Health. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46189-2_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46189-2_21

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Cham

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