THE ASSESSMENT OF NITRITE AND NITRATE CONTENT IN MIXED FEEDS AND EGGS IN RELATION TO THE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS (ORGANIC VS. CONVENTIONAL)
Maria Bologa, I.M. Pop, Aida Albu
Abstract
The aim of this paper was the assessment of nitrate (NO3-) and nitrite (NO2-) content in the mixed feeds and eggs from two different production systems (organic and conventional). Were analyzed 40 samples of mixed feed and lay eggs from Brown hybrid at the age of 27 weeks in two units in Romania.
Sampling and the preparation of samples were performed in compliance with the rules of the standards in force in Romania and harmonized with EU legislation (SR 13175:1993); the method for the determination used was spectrophotocolorimetry method (UVmini 1240 SHIMADZU).
Analysis of mixed feed samples revealed statistically significant differences (p≥0.05) between the two systems (organic vs. conventional) for the nitrate content but significantly distinct (p≤0.01) for nitrite content (0.49 vs. 1.71 ppm relative to a feed with a moisture content of 12%), values well below the maximum allowable 15 ppm provided by legislation in Romania.
In the case of the nitrate content of analyzed eggs, there were distinctly significant differences (p≤0.01) for whites samples (0.83 vs. 2.65 ppm fresh product) and mixtures samples (0.18 vs. 0.15 ppm fresh product) and statistically insignificant (p≥0.05) for yolk samples.
In the case of nitrite content of eggs from the two production systems were very significant differences (p≤0.001) (0.16 ÷ 0.27 ppm vs.0.06 ÷ 0.22 ppm fresh product).
Higher values of nitrite in eggs from organic systems may be due to access of poultry on grassy paddock and additional consumption of green fodder, its analysis revealed an average of 0.83 ppm at 12% moisture feed.
