Nitrite and nitrate intake in Swedish children from food
What it found
In a survey of 2259 Swedish children, nitrite from cured meat alone was low, but when the body's own conversion of nitrate to nitrite was included, about 12% of 4-year-olds went over the acceptable daily intake for nitrite.
What they found
Studies in people
Nitrite from cured meat
The average nitrite intake from cured meat was 0.013, 0.010 and 0.007 mg per kg body weight per day in children aged 4, 8-9 and 11-12 years. Only three children out of 2259 went over the ADI of 0.07 mg per kg body weight per day from cured meat alone.
Nitrate from food and water
The average nitrate intake from vegetables, fruit, cured meat and water was 0.84, 0.68 and 0.45 mg per kg body weight per day for the three age groups. No child went over the ADI of 3.7 mg per kg body weight per day.
Total nitrite including conversion
When the authors added an estimated 5% conversion of nitrate to nitrite in the body, about 12% of 4-year-olds, 3% of 8-9 year olds and 1% of 11-12 year olds went over the nitrite ADI. The conversion from nitrate contributed about 70% of the total nitrite intake.
Main sources
Sausages provided about 77% of the nitrite from cured meat, liver pâté about 11%, and ham and poultry about 5% each. For nitrate from food excluding water, about 98% came from fruit and vegetables and 2% from cured meat.
Other findings
Poultry products
Chicken sausage and smoked turkey had the highest nitrite levels among the cured meats tested. The authors note that poultry sausages had higher average nitrite than red meat sausages.
What the authors conclude
“Consequently, the intake of nitrite in Swedish children may be of concern for young age groups when endogenous nitrite conversion is included in the intake estimates.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say the intake of nitrite from cured meat alone is tolerable, as only three of 2259 children exceeded the ADI from that source.
- They also say that nitrate intake from food and water combined was well below the safety margins covered by the ADI for nitrate.
- They conclude that the intake of nitrite in Swedish children may be of concern for young age groups when the body's own conversion of nitrate to nitrite is included in the estimates.
How it was done
Most previous intake assessments had looked at adults, so the authors wanted to estimate how much nitrite and nitrate Swedish children actually take in from cured meat, vegetables, fruit and drinking water.
They used a nationwide 4-day food diary from 2259 children aged 4, 8-9 and 11-12 years, combined with measured nitrite and nitrate levels in cured meats, vegetables, fruit and drinking water. They then calculated daily intake per kilogram of body weight and compared it with the acceptable daily intake (ADI).
What it can’t tell you
- This study estimated intake from food diaries and food measurements, so it cannot show what health effects, if any, these intakes have in children.
- The conversion of nitrate to nitrite in the body was estimated using a fixed 5% figure, and the authors note that some people may convert up to 20%.
- The study did not include nitrite from vegetables, fruit, water, dairy, cereals or bread, so the total nitrite intake may be underestimated.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Sweden
The paper
- Title
- Estimated dietary intake of nitrite and nitrate in Swedish children
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Larsson K, Darnerud PO, Ilbäck NG, Merino L (2011). Estimated dietary intake of nitrite and nitrate in Swedish children. Food additives & contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment. doi:10.1080/19440049.2011.555842Free full textPubMed 21400324DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error