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Nitrate to Nitrosation Pathway

The process by which nitrate is converted to nitrite and then to nitrous acid, leading to the formation of N-nitroso compounds.

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Jan 25, 2026
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How do nitrates and nitrites in cured meats chemically form N‑nitroso compounds in the human body?

Nitrate (NO3–) from food or endogenous sources is reduced to nitrite (NO2–) by bacteria and enzymes, and in the acidic stomach environment nitrite is protonated to nitrous acid (HNO2), the key nitrosa...