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Stir-Fried Pickled Vegetables with Eggs (Photo: sinhthuc) |
Pickled vegetables and salted eggplant are traditional dishes enjoyed by the Vietnamese people for thousands of years. A meal is often considered more appealing with a side of pickled vegetables or salted eggplant.
Especially during festive days, when meals are rich in fats and proteins, it is common to have a plate of pickled vegetables or salted shallots. Pickled vegetables aid digestion due to the presence of lactic acid, making meals more enjoyable and beneficial for health. However, if someone has a habit of consuming spicy pickled vegetables, particularly sour ones, caution is advised.
Normally, the nitrite content in leafy greens is minimal, but when pickled, the nitrite levels can increase in the first few days due to the microbial reduction of nitrates found in the vegetables into nitrites. However, the nitrite levels gradually decrease and dissipate once the pickles become fully fermented.
When vegetables become overly sour, the nitrite levels can rise significantly. If nitrites enter the body, they can react with secondary amines found in certain foods such as shrimp and fish, especially shrimp paste, leading to the formation of nitrosamines (which have been shown to be carcinogenic in laboratory animals).
Source: Family Doctor Magazine / Vietnam Pharmaceutical Information
Can Eating Pickled Vegetables Cause Poisoning?
Various studies have indicated that certain leafy greens, such as mustard greens and cabbage, contain significant amounts of nitrite and nitrite salts. If these vegetables are cooked but stored for a long time or pickled for an insufficient duration, the nitrite salts in the vegetables may remain in their pure form due to bacterial activity, posing a risk of poisoning if consumed in large quantities. Nitrites can cause muscle relaxation, smooth muscle dilation, leading to lowered blood pressure. The toxic dose of nitrites can range from 0.3 to 0.5 grams, while 3 grams can be lethal.
Symptoms of poisoning can appear 30 minutes to 3 hours after consumption, with some individuals experiencing symptoms as quickly as 10 to 15 minutes. Affected persons may feel dizzy, fatigued, irritable, experience sour belching, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and their nails and skin may turn bluish, with severe cases leading to respiratory failure or coma.
If symptoms occur, in mild cases, induce vomiting and encourage the person to drink plenty of water. However, in severe cases, it is crucial to take the individual to a medical facility for gastric lavage, rehydration, and timely treatment. It is advisable not to consume pickled greens that are not fully cooked or those that have been cooked and left overnight.
Source: Hanoi Moi
