Possible Mutagenic Hazards of Some Food Additives, Beverages and Insecticides

Abstract

It has long been known that radiomimetic chemical agents which produce chromosome aberrations in plant and animal cells may also produce mutations.The early discovery by Kihlman and Levan (1949) that caffeine induces aberrations in plant chromosomes and the more recent report by Ostertag (1966) that caffeine breaks human chromosomes has led to further tests of the radiomimetic effect of beverages, food additives and home insecticides. Agents which break plant chromosomes may not break animal chromosomes, but the correlation is high (Kihlman 1966). The onion root tip technique provides a rapid method for making preliminary tests of suspected radiomimetic agents. MATERIALS AND METHODSThe agents to be tested were made up in concentrations which permit essentially normal growth of the onion root tips. Ten cc of the solution was poured over 5 layers of paper toweling in a petri dish and about 100 onion seeds were sown on the moist paper. When the roots were 0.5-1.0 cm long, usually in 3 days, they were fixed in alcohol-acetic acid for 24 hours and then transferred to alcohol until the aceto-carmine smears were made. The chromosome aberrations, which were scored at anaphase, consisted of acentric fragments and dicentric bridges.There was considerable variations in aberration frequency, but the analysis of 10 root tips, each with an average of more than 100 anaphases, for each test, gave reasonably consistent results. RESULTSThe fantastic increase in the use of artificial sweeteners in beverages and food products in recent years, and the controversy regarding their use, led us to test the radiomimetic effects of "Sucaryl", which contains 8 % of sodium cyclamate and 0.8 % of saccharin; and saccharin tablets which contain 1/4 grain of saccharin.At the concentrations recommended, 6 drops of sucaryl per 6 oz. cup or 1 saccharin tablet per cup, the aberration frequency did not exceed that of the controls. At relatively high concentrations both agents were radiomimetic.For comparative purposes tests of moderate concentrations of sugar and salt were included. Higher concentrations of sugar greatly retared growth of the root tips. The results are shown in Table 1.

Mutagenic Potential of the Condiments, Ginger and Turmeric

“…since the discovery of Kihlman and Levan (1949) that caffeine induces chromosomal aberrations in plant cells. Sax and Sax (1968) in their studies on the radiomimetic effects of 'Sucaryl' have pointed out that high concentrations of 'Sucaryl' or "Saccharin" were radiomimetic. Antioxidants added to dry cereals, potato chips and other food products to preserve crispness have also been reported to possess chromosome breaking ability.…”

“…Antioxidants added to dry cereals, potato chips and other food products to preserve crispness have also been reported to possess chromosome breaking ability. The antioxidant BHT (Butylated hydroxytoluene) has been found to break chromosomes and also induce amitotic divisions and polyploidy (Sax and Sax 1968). Swaminathan andNatara jan (1956, 1959) have reported that a few vegetable oils and edible fats are mutagenic.…”

“…It has long been known that agents which are radiomimetic are also capable of` producing gene mutations (Sax and Sax 1968, D'Amato 1956, Abraham 1974. The abnormalities induced by ginger and turmeric are therefore important in terms of mutagenecity and carcinogenecity for the persons who consume this since it is pos sible that some of the abnormal cells might survive and multiply.…”

“…could be mutagenic (Sax and Sax 1968, Hollaender 1971, Kihlman et al 1974). The present work was under taken to study the mutagenic effects, if any of ginger and turmeric which have been used as condiments in culinary preparations from time immemmorial.…”

Mutagenicity, Carcinogenicity, and Teratogenicity of Insecticides

“…Research papers on the genetic effects of organophosphorus compounds in insects are not numerous, probably because of the high toxicity of these compounds. Sax and Sax, 1968 (not precise) Sex-linked lethal mutations (in the Muller-5 test) were induced by Trichlorfon, Fenitrothion, and Bromophos after sublethal injections (Benes and Sram, 1969), which makes it difficult to compare the results with mammalian data. Oxydemetonmethyl gave different results according to the insecticide sensitivity of the strain used.…”