A statistical study on nitrate contents in a set of some horticultural plants used in Mediterranean diet

Abstract

In this paper we consider a set of fresh horticultural plants, used in Mediterranean diet, and we carry out a statistical analysis. In particular, we illustrate the nitrate contents in these vegetables, obtained in laboratory, as a sample variable and we study its frequency distribution, we compute its average, variance and standard variation and we work out some graphic representations. The derived results are more deepened with respect to those ones obtained in a previous paper, where a classification in ordered classes of nitrate contents was taken into consideration. From the results it is seen that the average value of nitrate contents, ingested by human organism by the consumption of the analyzed fruits and vegetables, does not constitute a risk for human health, when the assumption of these vegetables is limited, in agreement with the values recommended by medical standards to prevent diseases, For this reason Mediterranean diet is recommended, because prescribes to eat many portions of fruits and vegetables to be in good health.