Analysis of cereals, malted foods and dried legumes for N‐nitrosodimethylamine

A number of products manufactured from cereals, including malted breakfast foods, together with a malt extract, malt vinegar and dried peas and beans were analysed for N ‐nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). The only significant results were the levels of NDMA detected in wheaten cornflour (4.2μgkg −1 ) and in maize meal (2.6μgkg −1 ). The occurrence of nitrosamines in cereals may be due to the pre‐storage drying of grain in oil or gas‐fired kilns.