The genotoxic effects of sodium acetate and sodium sulfite, food additives, on in vitro human peripheral lymphocytes

It is one of the inevitable facts that food is a vital need for humans. However, ready-to-eat foods offered to consumers in relation to developing science, technology and industry contain a lot of chemicals. Today, the use of food preservatives has increased since people demand more practical foods and ready-to-eat foods. Sodium Acetate (SA) and Sodium Sulphite (SS), which are food additives, are in the class of preservatives. In this thesis, the genotoxic effects of sodium acetate and sodium sulphite were investigated by chromosomal aberration (CA) and micronucleus assays (MN) in peripheral human blood lymphocytes in vitro. In addition, the effects of these two preservative additives on mitotic index (MI) and nuclear division index (NDI) were also investigated. The effects of five different concentrations of Sodium Acetate (15.63, 31.25, 62.50, 125.00 and 250.00 µg/mL) and Sodium Sulphite (3.91, 7.81, 15.63, 31.25 and 62.50 µg/mL) were evaluated. As a result, sodium acetate significantly induced chromosomal aberrations at all concentrations except the lowest concentration (15.63 μg/mL) at 24-hour treatment and only at the highest concentration (250 μg/mL) at 48-hour treatment. Micronucleus frequency was significantly increased at the three highest concentrations. It caused a decrease in mitotic index and this decrease was significant at concentrations of 15.63, 62.50 and 250 μg/mL at 24 h treatment time, while it was significant at all concentrations except the two lowest concentrations at 48 h treatment time. Sodium sulphite significantly increased chromosomal abnormalities and micronucleus frequency (except 3.19 μg/mL for micronucleus test) at all treatment times and concentrations. Similarly, mitotic index was decreased at all times and concentrations (except 3.91 μg/mL for 24 h treatment). Both food preservatives did not cause any change in the nuclear division index. In the light of the data obtained, it was concluded that Sodium Acetate and Sodium Sulfite may have cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on peripheral human blood lymphocytes in vitro. These results should be supported by different cell groups and in vivo methods.