Effect of Broling Temperatures on the Formation of N-Nitrosodimethylamine from Dried Squid Products

Abstract

We have already reported that the carcinogenic N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) content apparently increased when some salted-dried fish were broiled on a city gas range. Especially, both the NDMA and N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) contents increased markedly when simple dried squid was broiled. In the present study, we broiled dried squid in various gaseous atmospheres and examined the effect of the broiling temperatures on the nitrosamine formation. It was found that the highest NDMA formation rate occurred in the gases produced by the combustion of kerosene, followed by those from city gas combustion. NDMA was also formed when dried squid samples were heated in the hot air from an electric range, which may contain a trace amount of nitrogen oxide (s) produced during heating. It is noteworthy that the NDMA content increased even when the sample was heated in air or argon atmospheres, although the rates were apparently low. In general, the higher the heating temperature, the larger the amount of NDMA formed upon broiling. It was found that the greater part of NDMA produced during heating escaped from the broiled squid, viz., the level of vaporized NDMA was 3 to 5 times as high as the level remaining in the squid.