NITRATE AND VITAMIN-C FROM FRUITS AND VEGETABLES - IMPACT OF INTAKE VARIATIONS ON NITRATE AND NITRITE EXCRETIONS OF HUMANS

The objective of the study was to determine nitrate + nitrite excretio ns of human subjects fed variable amounts of nitrates and nitrites and vitamin C from fruits and vegetables. During four, randomly-arranged experimental periods of seven days each, the 12 apparently healthy, ad ult human subjects consumed laboratory controlled, constant, diets whi ch were systematically varied in kinds of fruits and vegetable to prov ide the four following variations: 414 mg nitrate + nitrite and 23 mg vitamin C, 412 mg nitrate + nitrite and 177 mg vitamin C, 23 mg nitrat e + nitrite and 39 mg vitamin C, and 21 mg nitrate + nitrite and 193 m g vitamin C per subject per day, respectively. Subjects made complete collections of urine and stools throughout the study. Regardless of ty pe of experimental diet fed, no nitrates and nitrites were detected in the feces. Urinary excretion of nitrate + nitrite was significantly g reater at the higher levels of nitrate + nitrite intake than at the lo wer intake levels. Increased intake of vitamin C at either level of ni trate + nitrite intake resulted in apparent decreased urinary excretio ns of nitrite + nitrate.