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Title: 2-DODECYLCYCLOBUTANONE DOES NOT INDUCE MUTATIONS IN THE SALMONELLA MUTAGENICITY TEST OR INTRACHROMOSOMAL RECOMBINATION IN SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISAE

Author
item Sommers, Christopher
item SOHISTL, ROBERT - UCLA

Submitted to: Journal of Food Protection
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/7/2004
Publication Date: 6/3/2004
Citation: Sommers, C.H., Sohistl, R.H. 2004. 2-dodecylcyclobutanone does not induce mutations in the salmonella mutagenicity test or intrachromosomal recombination in saccharomyces cerevisae. Journal of Food Protection. 67:1293-1298.

Interpretive Summary: Recently it has been reported that 2-dodecylcyclobutanone (2-DCB) a compound generated in irradiated foods, produced DNA damage in cultured animal cells. A review of those reports by international regulatory agencies questioned the validity of those reports due to problems with the test methods that were used. In this study the Salmonella Mutagenicity Test was used to evaluate the genotoxic potential of 2-DCB. 2-DCB did not induce mutations in DNA. These results are in agreement with extensive safety testing of irradiated foods and call into question previous reports of 2-DCB genotoxicity. This report provides valuable information to consumers and regulatory agencies pertaining to the safety of irradiated foods.

Technical Abstract: Treatment of foods that contain palmitic acid with ionizing radiation can lead to the formation of 2-dodecylcyclobutanone (2-DCB), a compound found only in irradiated foods. In this study, the Salmonella Mutagenicity Test was used to evaluate the genotoxic potential of 2-DCB. Salmonella typhimurium tester strains TA98, TA100, TA1535 and TA1537 were exposed to 0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg/well 2-DCB, with and without exogenous metabolic activation (5 percent S9 fraction), using the Miniscreen version of the assay. 2-DCB did not induce mutations in the Salmonella Mutagenicity Test. These results are in agreement with negative results for 2-DCB obtained in the Escherichia coli Trp Reverse Mutation Assay in previous studies, negative results obtained in the Salmonella Mutagenicity Test using irradiated meats, and non-genotoxic responses obtained in multi-generation feeding studies using irradiated meats in multiple animal species, and again confirm the safety of irradiated meat products.