icity ▁S od ium ▁nit rite ▁is ▁weak ly ▁to xic . ▁ ▁The ▁L D 5 0 ▁in ▁r ats ▁is ▁ 1 8 0   m g / kg ▁and ▁its ▁human ▁L D Lo ▁is ▁ 7 1   m g / kg , ▁meaning ▁a ▁ 6 5   kg ▁person ▁would ▁likely ▁have ▁to ▁consume ▁at ▁least ▁ 4 . 6   g ▁to ▁result ▁in ▁death . ▁To ▁prevent ▁to x icity , ▁sod ium ▁nit rite ▁( bl ended ▁with ▁salt ) ▁sold ▁as ▁a ▁food ▁add itive ▁is ▁dy ed ▁bright ▁p ink ▁to ▁avoid ▁mist aking ▁it ▁for ▁plain ▁salt ▁or ▁sugar . ▁ ▁Occ urrence ▁in ▁veget ables ▁N it rit es ▁are ▁not ▁naturally ▁occurr ing ▁in ▁veget ables ▁in ▁significant ▁quantities . ▁However , ▁nit r ates ▁are ▁found ▁in ▁commer cially ▁available ▁veget ables ▁and ▁a ▁study ▁in ▁an ▁int ensive ▁agricult ural ▁area ▁in ▁northern ▁Portugal ▁found ▁resid ual ▁nit rate ▁levels ▁in ▁ 3 4 ▁veget able ▁samples , ▁including ▁different ▁vari eties ▁of ▁cab bage , ▁lett uce , ▁spin ach , ▁par s ley ▁and ▁turn ips ▁r anged ▁between ▁ 5 4 ▁and ▁ 2 4 4 0   m g / kg , ▁e . g . ▁cur ly ▁k ale ▁( 3 0 2 . 0   m g / kg ) ▁and ▁green ▁ca ul if lower ▁( 6 4   m g / kg ). ▁Bo iling ▁veget ables ▁low ers