Nitrate tester is the first level defense against food poisoning. Nitrate meter is ideal for the household use and will answer the main question: "Is the food product safe?". The laboratory testing will more likely to provide a more accurate result, considering all the tests are done correctly, however it's an expensive, long and comprehensive analysis, where all the food is mashed first.
In common life, the lab accuracy is not needed. The main advantage after testing with a portable Nitrate tester is to understand if the product is safe to consume or not.
Developers of pocket Nitrate testers allow accuracy to fluctuate plus or minus 15% from the perfect point. This is due to the uneven distribution of nitrates in the products (e.g. left side of the fruit may have more nitrates than right side), individual mineral content of the product, unique characteristics of climate and soil where the product was grown.
HOWEVER, to understand if an Apple or a Watermelon is SAFE TO EAT and to give it to a child - the Nitrate tester will TELL YOU THAT WITHOUT DOUBTS!
PRO TIPS:
- don't use the same whole in the fruit for multiple measurements
- after you stick the nitrate tester, give it some time to adjust to the temperature
- always stick the nitrate testing probe all the way into the product
- it's OK numbers to differ a little bit due to the differences in the product but look for the whole picture: is it safe or not?
- don't make soup from vegetables with HIGH NITRATES, the broth accumulates 60-80% of chemicals inside and can do harm to the body
- boil veggies with open lid, so some of the nitrates can evaporate with steam
- frying or baking only removes 10% of nitrates
- the best way to protect yourself and your family from nitrates is to make a habit to test products with SOEKS nitrate tester before cooking or buying them
It's important to mention that ECOVISOR F4 is the most accurate Nitrate tester available on the market as it has 5 points of contact with the product and automatic temperature compensation.