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First in the Field of Co-ordinated Soil - Plant - Animal Nutrition

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Here is an extract from an article that appeared in the May 2010 of Lab Technology. It is very interesting that I am not the only person singing this song; however I wonder how long it has to be sung before the “system” takes note.

The article headed:

Researchers have designed a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry based urine test that can simultaneously measure the extent of potential carcinogenic process and a marker of garlic consumption in humans.

It goes on to say: “the research is all about processes associated with nitrogen containing compounds, scientists say. These processes include nitrosation, or the conversion of some substances found in foods or contaminated water to carcinogens.”

“What we were after was developing a method where we could measure in urine two different compounds, one related to the risk for cancer, and the other, indicates the extent of consumption of garlic.” Said Earl Harrison, Dean’s Distinguished Professor of Human Nutrition at Ohio State, an investigator in Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, and senior author of the study.

Ultimately, the scientists hope to find that a nutritional intervention could be a way to stop the process that develops these carcinogens. This process is most commonly initiated by the exposure to substances called nitrates from processed meats or high-heat food preparation particles, or to water contaminated by industry or agriculture run-off.

About 20% of nitrates consumed are converted to nitrites. A cascade of events can convert these compounds into what are called nitrosamines, and many, but not all, nitrosamines are linked to cancer.

It goes on to say that “vegetables contain nitrates, but previous research has suggested that the vitamin C in vegetables lowers the risk that those nitrates will convert to something toxic.” This study was recently published in the journal of Analytical Biochemistry.