Nitrosamins and ATNC

In the group of volatile compounds may be listed compounds with short-hydrocarbon chains or simple non-substituated heterocycles, e.g., N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). Many studies confirmed the fact that nitrosamines are greatly carcinogenic and mutagen. Its presence was confirmed in grilled meat, cosmetics, printing and tattooing inks, rubber products, dried fish, smoked meat, cigarette smoke and finally in malt and beer. The source of N-nitrosamines in beer can be all entering raw materials. In malt N-nitrosamine are formed by reaction of secondary and tertial amino groups with nitrogen oxides during kilning of germinated barley. Another cause of N-nitrosamine in beer is bacterial contamination of beer or its intermediates.

RIBM determines volatile N-nitrosamines, single or total, in malt and beer, rubber products, inks, air, plastic materials, smoked meat and other foodstuffs. RIBM also performs, as one of few laboratories in Europe, the analysis of ATNC in beer. The analyses are performed in Analytical laboratory in  Brewing Institute Prague.