Mutagens and Carcinogens in Food

This chapter discusses the genotoxic elements in the human food chain in regard to cancers of the stomach, colon, and breast. Broiled and fried foods may be sources of genotoxic carcinogens associated with many of the nutritionally related cancers. Carcinogens designated as genotoxic are mutagens in the Ames bacterial indicator system and induce DNA repair in the Williams liver cell test system. Many kinds of vegetables contain appreciable amounts of certain mutagenic, polyhydroxylated flavones, such as quercetin or kaempferol. Metabolism of the mutagens found in fried meat is beginning to be studied by in vitro and animal experiments. Extensive Maillard reactions may yield mutagens and carcinogens. J. Sander found that such carcinogens were formed through the reaction of nitrite and suitably substituted secondary amines or amides. The fact that the formation of carcinogens may be blocked by vitamin C or by vitamin E is most important.