Bu çalışma Samsun ve çevresinde yetiştirilen ve çiğ olarak tüketilen kırmızı lahana, hıyar, domates, havuç, biber, marul, beyaz turp, maydonoz, roka ve terenin nitrat içeriklerini saptamak amacıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Vücuda alınan az miktardaki nitrat mide barsak sisteminde nitrite indirgenerek özellikle küçük çocuklarda methemoglobiriemi (siyanoz)' ye yol açarak toksik etkili olabilmektedir. Nitritin ana kaynağı olan nitrat kuru maddede ortalama olarak kırmızı lahanada 129.77, hıyarda 229.65, domateste 334.80, havuçta 438.47, biberde 757.42, marulda 3169.26, beyaz turpta 5342.01, maydönozda 6581.97,'rokada 7426.40, terede ise 8738.37 mg/kg olarak bulunmuştur.

The nitrate contents of some raw consumed vegetables -red cabbage, cucumber, tomato, carrot, pepper, lettuce, white raddish, parsley, rocket and cress- grown around Samsun were determined. . , The small doses of nitrate may cause cyanosis (methemoglobinemia) because of the reduction of nitrate to nitrite in the gastrointestinal tract of especially the infants. The mean values of nitrate (as dry matter), that can be considered as the index of the amount of nitrite was found as 129.77 mg/kg in red cabbage, 229.65 mg/kg in cucumber, 334.80 mg/kg in tomato, 438.47 mg/kg in carrot, 757.42 mg/kg in pepper, 3169.26 mg/kg in lettuce, 5342.01 ling/kg in white raddish, 6581.97 mg/kg in parsley, 7426.40 mg/kg in rocket and 8738.37 mg/kg in cress.