Nitrates in Vegetables Produced in Greece

Abstract

ABSTRACT The nitrate content of spinach, leaf and romaine lettuce, endive, parsley, dill, celery, beet leaves and roots, turnip, radish, carrot, white and red cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, leek, green and dry onion, cucumber, tomato, eggplant, summer squash, snap bean, potato, and bell pepper obtained regularly from the Wholesale Vegetable Market of Thessaloniki, Central Macedonia, Greece was determined during the period from March 1995 to May 1996. Dill, beet roots and leaves, turnip, parsley, radish, spinach, and leaf lettuce were the most nitrate-rich vegetables. Samples of the above vegetables had nitrate concentrations in excess of 500 mg kg−1 f.w. Throughout the sampling period, the highest nitrate concentration found was 1105 mg kg−1 f.w. in dill. Nitrate concentrations in all cases were lower than values reported in Northwestern Europe and more important, they were always below the maximum permissible values, that have been imposed for certain vegetables by some European countries and the Commission of the European Communities.