Fresh vegetables all contain a substance called nitrate. If the pickling time is insufficient, the nitrate in the vegetables will be converted by bacteria into nitrite.
In daily life, people often pickle vegetables such as pother mustard, cabbage, and napa cabbage, adding appropriate seasonings like chili, garlic, and Sichuan peppercorns to change the flavor of the dish. They are refreshing and palatable, with a unique taste. As the weather turns cooler, it is a good time for pickling. Although pickled vegetables are delicious, nitrosamines in them are one of the "culprits" causing digestive system cancers.
So, how can we prevent pickled vegetables from producing carcinogens? You can add vitamin C tablets when pickling. Since vitamin C prevents the synthesis of nitrites, it also reduces the content of nitrites. The U.S. National Cancer Institute officially announced as early as 1978 that vitamin C has a preventive effect on cancer. Foreign studies have shown that "adding 400 mg of vitamin C per kilogram of pickled vegetables can block the formation of nitrosamines from nitrites by 75.9% in the stomach under the action of bacteria." Recommending the addition of an appropriate amount of vitamin C during the pickling process is indeed a good way to solve the problem of carcinogens in pickled vegetables.
In addition, it should be noted that the salt water concentration for pickling should not be lower than 12%, and the pickling time should not be less than 8 days, nor should it be too long to avoid spoilage of the pickled vegetables. The method of taking out and eating pickled vegetables shortly after pickling is not recommended. Fresh vegetables all contain a substance called nitrate. If the pickling time is insufficient, the nitrate in the vegetables will be converted by bacteria into nitrite. Consuming excessive amounts of such pickled vegetables can lead to a series of poisoning symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.