AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF JAE-SUNG LEE for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY presented on April 28, 1977 Title: IDENTIFICATION AND QUANTITATION OF 3-HYDROXY-N- NITROSOPYRROLIDINE IN FRIED BACON AND FRIED-OUT

approved: —t ^-* _•—v , =—. /R. A. Scanlan The formation of 3-hydroxy-N-nitrosopyrrolidine from decarboxylation of 4-hydroxy-N-nitrosoproline was demonstrated in model heating system designed to simulate the conditions of frying bacon. The identification of the nitrosamine was achieved by comparison of its TLC Rvalue, gas chromatographic retention time, and mass spectral fragmentation pattern with those of the authentic compound. 3-Hydroxy-N-nitrosopyrrolidine was isolated from commercial fried bacon and fried-out fat. The identification of the compound was achieved by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after trimethylsilyl derivatization of the nitrosamine. Additional verification of identity was obtained from coincident retention time data on a combined gas chromatography-thermal energy analyzer. Quantitative determination of 3-hydroxy-N-nitrosopyrrolidine was accomplished without derivatization and was greatly facilitated by the use of a thermal energy analyzer. Quantitative analysis by combined gas chromatography-thermal energy analyzer did not require as extensive cleanup as was required for identification by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The levels of 3-hydroxy-N-nitrosopyrrolidine occurring in five samples of fried bacon were 0. 5 to 3. 9 ppb while the levels in friedout fat ranged from 0. 3 to 2.2 ppb. These levels are lower than the concentrations generally reported for nitrosopyrrolidine in fried bacon. This study, although the number of samples analyzed was limited, suggests that low ppb levels of 3-hydroxy-N-nitrosopyrrolidine appear fairly consistently in fried bacon. Identification and Quantitation of 3-Hydroxy-Nnitrosopyrrolidine in Fried Bacon and Fried-out Fat