Nitrite determination in spices

The aim of this study is to determine the nitrite content in some spices: basil, pepper, dill, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, cinnamon, mint, mustard and cumin. The nitrite content was measured using UV-VIS spectrometric method with Griess reagent. The method was tested and partial validated. The nitrite content varied from 0.23 to 7.7 mg/Kg and these values are lower than those encountered in the literature.