The genotoxic effects of some food additives

In this study, the in vitro genotoxic effects of citric acid, phosphoric acid, benzoic acid, calcium propionate and combination of citric acid and phosphoric acid, frequently used in foods, have been determined in human peripheral blood lymphocytes by using chromosome aberrations (CAs), sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs), micronuclei (MN) and comet assay. 50, 100, 200 and 3000 µg/ml concentrations of citric acid; 25, 50, 100 and 200 µg/ml concentrations of phosphoric acid; 50, 100, 200 and 500 µg/ml concentrations of benzoic acid; 50, 100, 200 and 1000 µg/ml concentrations of calcium propionate; 25, 50, 100 and 200 µg/ml concentrations of citric acid and phosphoric acid combination were used. All of the additives used in this study statistically increased the frequency of chromosome aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges and micronuclei compared to controls. The primary DNA damage in comet assay significantly increased by the highest concentration of citric acid and by almost all the concentrations of other additives. The comet tail intensity and comet tail length significantly increased compared to controls. Mitotic index statistically decreased in all the treatments compared to controls. Replication and nuclear division indices were not effected by the additives used. The results of experiments showed that the additives used in this study have clastogenic, mutagenic, cytotoxic and also DNA damaging effects in cultured and isolated human lymphocytes.