The determination of nitrate and nitrite levels in white cheese samples of Ankara local markets

In this research, our aim was to determine the nitrate and nitrite levels in five different firm's cheese samples, cheese samples of unknown firm sold in Ankara local markets and cheese samples sold in open markets and to evaluate whether nitrat levels were within the Turkish Food Legislation values or not. In this study, total of seventy samples have been analysed, of which 50 samples from A, B, C, D, E firms, 10 samples of unknown firm (F) from local markets and 10 samples from open markets (G). Determination of nitrite and nitrate values have been made by spectrofotometric method. The cadmium coloumn which reduced nitrate to nitrite was used for determination of nitrates in cheese samples. Mean levels (±SE) of nitrates were found as 8.7920 ± 1.2011 mg/kg, 4.4340 ± 0.9747 mg//kg, 4.7290 ±1.2411 mg/kg, 7.1260 ± 2.2261 mg/kg, 6.0380 ± 1.5424 mg/kg, respectively in cheese samples of A, B, C, D, E firms. Mean levels (±SE) of nitrates were found as 4.3590 ± 2.3385 mg/kg, 8.9160 ± 2.0408 mg/kg, respectively in cheese samples of unknown firm (F) from local markets and open markets (G) Mean levels (±SE) of nitrites were found as 0.1890 ± 0.0616 mg/kg, 0.3180 ± 0.1791 mg/kg, 0.2560 ± 0.1849 mg/kg, 0.3090 ± 0.1869 mg/kg, 0.6160 ± 0.1357 mg/kg, respectively in cheese samples of A, B, C, D, E firms. Mean levels (±SE) of nitrites were found as 0.5860 ± 0.2810 mg/kg, 1.0580 ± 0.3290 mg/kg, respectively in cheese samples of unknown firm (F) from local markets and open markets (G) Our data revealed that nitrat mean levels found in all cheese samples were within the Turkish Food Legislation values. Nitrite was determined in thirty per cent of white cheese samples.