A reliable and reproducible modified palarographic method is described for the simultaneous determination of nitrite and reduced form ascorbate coexisting in an aqueous solution.
The behavior of nitrite and reduced form ascorbate coexisting in some aqueous model systems at the pH range from 5.0 to 7.0 has been investigated by this modified polarographic method. In addition, a study of the effects of some food additives on this modified polarographic method has been performed. The results obtained are as follows:
(1) In a solution sample containing both nitrite and reduced form ascorbate, no decomposition of nitrite took place at the pH range above 5.5 immediately after preparation at 0°C, while in the solution sample heated at 75°C for 1 hour, nitrite decomposed at the pH range from 5.0 to 7.0.
(2) When the solution sample was heated for an hour at 75°C and 95°C after being stored for 72 hours at 0°, 4° and 37°C, the decomposition rate of nitrite increased with decreasing pH and inereasing temperature of storage and heating.
(3) The behavior of reduced form ascorbate in the solution sample, on the whole, was found to exhibit a similar tendency to that of nitrite mentioned above.
(4) Of the food additives employed usually in processing meat products, sodium chloride, reduced form ascorbate and isoascorbate did not interfere with this modified method in determining nitrite, whereas nitrate, nicotinamide, cysteine and phosphates did at their respective concentrations usually used in meat processing.
(5) Excepting reduced form isoascorbate, all the additives tested did not interfere with this modified method in determining reduced form ascarbate.
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