Stability of sulphadimidine during raw fermented sausage preparation: reaction of sulphadimidine with nitrite

 In earlier studies of the stability of sulphadimidine (SDM) during the preparation of raw fermented sausage, some unknown reaction products were observed which have been further studied. Sausages prepared with SDM, and their corresponding brines were examined for the presence of desamino-SDM (DAS) and 4-hydroxy-desamino-SDM (SOH), as they are possible products of the reaction between SDM and the additive nitrite. After extraction, clean-up and solid-phase extraction (SPE) concentration, the compounds were identified by HPLC followed by diode array detection. The presence of SOH and DAS could be demonstrated in both sausage and brine. In sausage 2.5% of SDM was converted to DAS, while only a minor amount (0.1%) was transformed to SOH. In brine approximately 2.5% and 4% of the original amount of SDM was found as DAS and SOH, respectively. Received: 5 May 1997 / Revised version: 4 July 1997