What harm does nitrite do to the human body

Nitrite is a chemical raw material and a common industrial salt. It is very harmful to the human body. It is toxic and carcinogenic. If the human body ingests a large amount of nitrite, it is easy to cause poisoning, causing symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, convulsions, coma, and even life-threatening. We usually eat some pickled foods, some smoked meats, etc., which are also rich in nitrite.

What are the harms of nitrite to human body?

1. Properties of Sodium Nitrite

Sodium nitrite, commonly known as nitrite, is an inorganic salt formed by the reaction of nitrite ions and sodium ions. Sodium nitrite is deliquescent and easily soluble in water and liquid ammonia. Its aqueous solution is alkaline with a pH of about 9. It is slightly soluble in organic solvents such as ethanol, methanol, and ether. Sodium nitrite is an industrial salt. Although it is very similar to table salt sodium chloride, it is poisonous and cannot be eaten.

2. Toxicity of sodium nitrite

Sodium nitrite is highly toxic. If a person consumes 0.2 to 0.5 grams, he may experience symptoms of poisoning. If 3 grams is accidentally ingested at one time, it may cause death. The characteristic manifestation of sodium nitrite poisoning is cyanosis. Symptoms and signs include headache, dizziness, fatigue, chest tightness, shortness of breath, palpitations, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, cyanosis of the lips, nails, skin and mucous membranes all over the body, and even convulsions and coma, which can be life-threatening in severe cases.

3. Other hazards of sodium nitrite

Sodium nitrite can cause damage to workers' hands and feet skin when it comes into contact with them. In addition, sodium nitrite can also produce carcinogens in the human body. Newly pickled kimchi also contains sodium nitrite (so kimchi is best eaten 15 days after pickling, the nitrite content will gradually decrease.

Ways to prevent nitrites

1. Overnight food - reheat or don't eat it: The nitrite content in vegetables will increase after storage, and nitrite will also be produced after cooking. This is because many bacteria can convert the nitrate in the vegetables into nitrite. If you cannot finish the food and put the leftovers in the refrigerator, bacteria will slowly grow. The longer the food is kept, the more nitrite will be produced. Therefore, try not to eat overnight food. If you want to eat it, it is best to heat it up. The best prevention method is to finish eating it in advance and not leave it at room temperature for too long.

2. Cold dishes - don't mix too much, add some mashed garlic or lemon juice, vinegar: Summer weather is hot, so many families like to eat some cold dishes, sometimes mix too much and put them in the refrigerator. But doing so is actually the same as pickling vegetables, or even more likely to breed bacteria than pickling vegetables.

Although cold dishes are less likely to spoil, the amount of nitrite they contain is no less than that of hot dishes, so it is best to eat them within 24 hours. It is recommended to add a lot of mashed garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, etc. when mixing cold dishes, which can inhibit bacterial reproduction and effectively reduce the nitrite content.

3. Hot pot soup - It is best to drink it within half an hour after starting to cook: As nitrites are often added to some meats, and the nitrites in vegetables can easily dissolve into the soup, you should be more careful when drinking it, and it is best to drink it within half an hour. In addition, the nitrite content of different soup bases after hot pot varies greatly. For example, the nitrite content will be particularly high when sauerkraut and seafood are used as the base soup. In comparison, clear soup, bone soup, and broth are safer. Therefore, sauerkraut soup and seafood soup should be consumed in excess to avoid danger.