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Public Health

Methaemoglobinaemia following ingestion of a commonly available food additive

Peter Maric, Sayed S Ali, Leon G Heron, David Rosenfeld and Matthew Greenwood
MJA 2008; 188 (3): 156-158

Five cases of methaemoglobinaemia after ingestion of sodium nitrite occurred in two clusters in Sydney in 2006. All cases were unintentional poisonings following use in cooking of an imported compound sold as a food additive. In all cases, methaemoglobinaemia was recognised early and treated promptly, with all patients making a full recovery. These cases highlight the importance of accurate food labelling and surveillance of imported goods.

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©The Medical Journal of Australia 2008 www.mja.com.au PRINT ISSN: 0025-729X ONLINE ISSN: 1326-5377