Study of artificial flavouring substances for mutagenicity in the Salmonella/microsome, Basc and micronucleus tests.
Seventy-six compounds used as artificial flavouring substances in food products were studied for mutagenic properties by the use of the Salmonella/mammalian microsome test (Ames test), Basc test on Drosophila melanogaster and micronucleus test on mouse bone marrow. The following four compounds were mutagenic in Ames tests: ethyl nitrite, ethyl 3-phenylglycidate, 6-methylquinoline and musk ambrette. Of these, ethyl nitrite and musk ambrette also induced a significant (P less than or equal to 0.01) increase in sex-linked recessive lethal mutations in Drosophila. Two further compounds, ethyl 3-methyl-3-phenylglycidate and 4-n-propylanisole, appeared weakly mutagenic in Drosophila only. The result with 4-n-propylanisole was judged to be of equivocal biological significance. None of the flavouring substances induced micronuclei, i.e. cytogenetic damage in the bone marrow of mice.
D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005421:Flavoring Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008861:Microsomes / Q000378:metabolism; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests / Q000379:methods; D009153:Mutagens; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000235:genetics
D005421:Flavoring Agents; D009153:Mutagens