Factors Affecting the N-Nitrosothiazolidine Content of Bacon

The analysis of raw and cooked bacon for the presence of N-nitrosothiazolidine (NTHZ), a recently identified nitrosamine in bacon, indicated that the levels found were unrelated to residual nitrite or refrigerated storage. Raw bacon contained higher levels of NTHZ than either fried, baked, or broiled bacon. Since the total amount of NTHZ in whole raw bacon was higher than that found in fried bacon and its drippings combined, it was concluded that NTHZ was not formed during frying as is N-nitrosopyrrolidine. The presence of NTHZ in bacon appears to be associated with smokehouse processing.