Genotoxic Effect of Naturally Occurring and Cooked-Food-Related Mutagens

Epidemiological data have shown that diets and life-styles are closely related to human cancer. Many immigrant studies have revealed the importance of dietary habits in inducing cancers of the digestive tract. Foods contain various types of mutagens and carcinogens, and contain both initiators and promoters of carcinogenesis. In general mutagens and carcinogens in food may be A. naturally occurring constituents especially in edible plants or spices; B. heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, mainly pyrolysis products of amino-acids and proteins (IQ, MeIQ, MeIQx, Trp-P-1, Trp-P-2, Glu-P-1, Glu-P-2, A C, MeA C etc.) C. mutagenic dicarbonyl compounds produced by heating carbohydrates or by fermentation; D. mutagens formed by (aminocarbonyl reactions) browning reaction; E. naturally occurring tumor promoters: phorbolesters, dehydroteleocidin B. teleocidin, lynygbyatoxin, aplysiatoxin.