[Nitrate and nitrite in human food calculation of the daily intake and its range (author's transl)].

Daily intake of nitrate and nitrate by German Federal Republic resident was calculated to 75 mg NO3- and 3.3 mg NO2-. These results are based on values mainly obtained by analyses of prepared meals of an area which was supplied with nitrate free drinking water. Using data of the 1971 per capita consumption the calculation of daily intake only leads to 49 mg NO3- and 1.7 mg NO2-. The difference to the former values probably arises from insufficient food consumption statistics and from fairly great deviations of nitrate and nitrite concentrations of food as present at market and as cited in literature. Moreover some values are not derived from homeland products. The calculated daily intake of NO3- is significantly increased by drinking water nitrate content. 35 mg NO3-/1 drinking water causes a doubling of the basic intake values, 70 mg NO3-/1 its triplication. As shown by a graph nitrate ingestion may be reduced by using certain amounts of nitrate free beverages. In cases of especially high consumption of potatoes, vegetables, meat or ham additional daily ingestion in the range of 75, 100, 30 or 45 mg NO3- and 1.8; 0.2; 1.8 or 1.7 mg NO2- respectively must be expected.