Abstract

A review of N-nitroso compounds which might be formed secondarily in various foods, with references to past literature on the carcinogenicity and mutagenicity of the N-nitroso compounds. Special references are made to recent literature on N-nitroso compounds detected in daily food, distribution of nitrogenous compounds and nitrites which are considered to be precursors, inhibitive and accelerative factors of N-nitrosation reaction, nitrosation of pharmaceuticals and agricultural chemicals, carcinogenicity of N-nitroso compounds, and correlation between food and human cancer.