Nitrite And Nitrate In Human Health And Disease

This fully revised and updated new edition provides a comprehensive look at nitrite and nitrate and their effect on human health and disease. The first section describes the biochemical analysis of nitrite and nitrate and its role in human physiology. The book then shifts to sources of human exposure of nitrite and nitrate, including environmental and dietary. Finally, the last section discusses nitric oxide-based therapeutics and how nitrite and nitrate biochemistry can be safely harnessed to improve human health. Each chapter provides a balanced, evidence-based view and heavily cites the most recent published literature. They follow a strict chapter format which includes keywords, key points, a conclusion highlighting major findings, and extensive references. The second edition contains new chapters on nitrite and nitrate in age medicine, nitrite and nitrate as a treatment for hypertension, and nitrite and nitrate in exercise performance. Additionally, the editors have expanded the biochemistry section to include chapters on nitrate reducing oral bacteria, nitrite mediated S-Nitrosation, epigenetics and the regulation of nitric oxide, and nitrite control of mitochondrial function. Nitrate and Nitrite in Human Health and Disease, 2e, will be of interest to health professionals, nutritionists, dieticians, biomedical scientists, and food scientists.

Nitrite and Nitrate in Human Health and Disease delivers a comprehensive review of nitrite and nitrate biology, from basic biochemistry to the complex physiology and metabolism of these two naturally occurring molecules in the human body. Well-organized and well referenced chapters cover the rich history of nitrite and nitrate, sources of exposure, and the physiological effects when consumed through foods containing nitrite and nitrate. The chapters are written by leading experts, all of whom share their research and perspectives in order to help define the context for benefits vs. any potential risks associated with nitrite and nitrate use, either through dietary ingestion or therapeutic dosing. This diverse collection of authors includes vascular biologists, physiologists, physicians, epidemiologists, cancer biologists, registered dieticians, chemists, and public health experts from five countries in both academia and government. Nitrite and Nitrate in Human Health and Disease provides a balanced view of nitric oxide biochemistry, and nitrite and nitrate biochemistry in physiology and in the food sciences.

This fully revised and updated new edition provides a comprehensive look at nitrite and nitrate and their effect on human health and disease. The first section describes the biochemical analysis of nitrite and nitrate and its role in human physiology. The book then shifts to sources of human exposure of nitrite and nitrate, including environmental and dietary. Finally, the last section discusses nitric oxide-based therapeutics and how nitrite and nitrate biochemistry can be safely harnessed to improve human health. Each chapter provides a balanced, evidence-based view and heavily cites the most recent published literature. They follow a strict chapter format which includes keywords, key points, a conclusion highlighting major findings, and extensive references. The second edition contains new chapters on nitrite and nitrate in age medicine, nitrite and nitrate as a treatment for hypertension, and nitrite and nitrate in exercise performance. Additionally, the editors have expanded the biochemistry section to include chapters on nitrate reducing oral bacteria, nitrite mediated S-Nitrosation, epigenetics and the regulation of nitric oxide, and nitrite control of mitochondrial function. Nitrate and Nitrite in Human Health and Disease, 2e, will be of interest to health professionals, nutritionists, dieticians, biomedical scientists, and food scientists.

From the Introduction With regard to nitrate and nitrite, the perceived hazards are to the ecological balance in rivers and lakes, and to human health. Increased nitrate levels in river water lead to increased growth of algae and consequent decrease in the level of biologically available oxygen (BAO). In extreme forms, the algae form unsightly blooms on the water surface, and the BAO level falls below that necessary to support fish and other animal life. At this extreme, there is little dispute that efforts should be made to restore the ecological balance, and this is best achieved by reversing the increase in nitrate concentration that caused the problem. The health hazards are less clear, but include the risk of methaemoglobinaemia in young infants and the possible risk of gastric cancer, particularly in certain high-risk patient groups. These health risks have led to legislation to control the exposure of humans to nitrate from drinking water and as a food additive . . . What can be done about this and how can the problem be solved (if, indeed, there is a problem)? It is normal practice to add nitrate and nitrite to food as a cosmetic and as a preservative. Is this necessary? If so, how much do we need to add? Are there alternatives? What effect does added nitrate have on total nitrate exposure of humans? . . . In this book, we have attempted to answer, or at least to give the background to, some of the questions. . . .

This volume provides a unique collection of contributions addressing both the ‘too much’ and ‘too little’ sides of the nitrogen story. Building on analyses started at the 6th International Nitrogen Conference, Kampala, the book explores the idea of ‘just enough nitrogen’: sufficient for sustainable food production, but not so much as to lead to unsustainable pollution and climate problems. The range of nitrogen threats examined, solutions evaluated and science-policy analyses presented here has provided the foundation to agree the ‘Kampala Statement-for-Action on Nitrogen in Africa and Globally,’ as reported in this volume. Humanity today faces unprecedented challenges: How to feed a growing population? How to reduce air pollution, water pollution and climate change? How to handle regional differences in an era of increasing globalization? These questions are at the heart of this edited volume which examines the multi-dimensional nature of the global nitrogen challenge. While humans have massively altered the nitrogen cycle, the consequences have become polarized. Some regions have too much nitrogen, associated with pollution and wasteful use of a valuable resource, while other regions have too little nitrogen, leading to constraints on food production and depletion of soil nutrient stocks. The volume provides a unique collection of contributions addressing both the ‘too much’ and ‘too little’ sides of the nitrogen story. Building on analyses started at the 6th International Nitrogen Conference, Kampala, the book explores the idea of ‘just enough nitrogen’: sufficient for sustainable food production, but not so much as to lead to unsustainable pollution and climate problems. The range of nitrogen threats examined, solutions evaluated and science-policy analyses presented here has provided the foundation to agree the ‘Kampala Statement-for-Action on Nitrogen in Africa and Globally,’ as reported in this volume. Together, the contributions in this book are now informing actions by the International Nitrogen Initiative (INI) in working with the United Nations Environment Programme and others to establish the International Nitrogen Management System (INMS). A key outcome has been to catalyse development of the first Resolution on Sustainable Nitrogen Management, as adopted by the fourth UN Environment Assembly (UNEA/EA.4/Res.14). The work is written for researchers and policy makers and all those interested in seeing how sustainable nitrogen management can contribute to meeting many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Annotation CONTENTS Analytical methods; Nitrate occurrence in water; Nitrates and nitrites in foods; Nitrates and nitrites as food additives; Human exposure, pharmacology and metabolism; Nitrates, nitrites and human disease.

Food processing is expected to affect content, activity and bioavailability of nutrients; the health-promoting capacity of food products depends on their processing history. Traditional technologies, such as the use of antimicrobials and thermal processing, are efficient in increasing nutritional value to an extent, though they may not be effective at addressing food safety, particularly when it comes to maintaining the food's molecular structure. Modern food processing plants improve the quality of life for people with allergies, diabetics, and others who cannot consume some common food elements. Food processing can also add extra nutrients, such as vitamins. Processed foods are often less susceptible to early spoilage than fresh foods and are better suited for long-distance transportation from the source to the consumer. However, food processing can also decrease the nutritional value of foods and introduce hazards not encountered with naturally occurring products. Processed foods often include food additives, such as flavourings and texture-enhancing agents, which may have little or no nutritive value, and may in fact be unhealthy. This book deals with the subject of food processing in a unique way, providing an overview not only of current techniques in food processing and preservation (i.e., dairy, meat, cereal, vegetables, fruits and juice processing, etc.) but also the health and safety aspects: food technologies that improve nutritional quality of foods, functional foods, and nanotechnology in the food and agriculture industry. The text also looks into the future by defining current bottlenecks and future research goals. This work will serve as a ready reference for the subject matter to students and researchers alike.

The quality of drinking water is paramount for public health. Despite important improvements in the last decades, access to safe drinking water is not universal. The World Health Organization estimates that almost 10% of the population in the world do not have access to improved drinking water sources. Among other diseases, waterborne infections cause diarrhea, which kills nearly one million people every year, mostly children under 5 years of age. On the other hand, chemical pollution is a concern in high-income countries and an increasing problem in low- and middle-income countries. Exposure to chemicals in drinking water may lead to a range of chronic non-communicable diseases (e.g., cancer, cardiovascular disease), adverse reproductive outcomes, and effects on children’s health (e.g., neurodevelopment), among other health effects. Although drinking water quality is regulated and monitored in many countries, increasing knowledge leads to the need for reviewing standards and guidelines on a nearly permanent basis, both for regulated and newly identified contaminants. Drinking water standards are mostly based on animal toxicity data, and more robust epidemiologic studies with accurate exposure assessment are needed. The current risk assessment paradigm dealing mostly with one-by-one chemicals dismisses the potential synergisms or interactions from exposures to mixtures of contaminants, particularly at the low-exposure range. Thus, evidence is needed on exposure and health effects of mixtures of contaminants in drinking water. Finally, water stress and water quality problems are expected to increase in the coming years due to climate change and increasing water demand by population growth, and new evidence is needed to design appropriate adaptation policies. This Special Issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) focuses on the current state of knowledge on the links between drinking water quality and human health.