2Department of Animal Science, Discipline of Feeds and Nutrition, School of Agriculture, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey
3Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey
Keywords: Food additives; Cancer; Side effects; Carcinogenicity; Processed food
It can be clearly seen from these cases where some processed foods containing safe additives may increase carcinogenicity risk despite the fact that there was no safety concern of these additives officially declared. Therefore, one can speculate the following reasons on the fact that why these additives may pose a degree of carcinogenicity in the food products while no carcinogenic risks were demonstrated in experimental studies in which they used per se: possibility of food structural changes, possible negative synergistic effects with other carcinogenic byproducts in commercial additives, possible exposure to long and improper storage conditions, and possibility of exceeding the safe limits.
The most frequently present nitrosamines in meat and dairy products are N-nitrosodimethylamine and N-nitrosopyrrolidine. In Belgium, 101 dry fermented sausages were analyzed for the residual sodium nitrite and nitrate contents, biogenic amines and volatile N-nitrosamine concentrations. The results showed that N-nitrosopiperidine and N-nitrosomorpholine were detected in a high number of samples (resp. 22% and 28%) [9].
Catsburg et al. [10], examined the role of dietary sources of N-Nitroso compounds (NOCs) and NOC precursors as potential bladder cancer risk factors in a case-control study in Los Angeles. They reported that consumption of processed meats (sources of amines and nitrosamines) such as salami/pastrami/corned beef and liver were both significantly associated with the risk of bladder cancer.
In a study investigating the role of microparticles in Crohn's disease, it was found that a microparticle titanium dioxide was comsumed more than ADI [17]. In a similar study conducted in Italy, it was shown that an antioxidant Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) was consumed more than ADI [18]. It was documented that phosphorus had been consumed more than the ADI level in the US [19].
The dietary exposure of nitrate and nitrite taken along with natural foods was assessed in France. As a result of the study, dietary intake of nitrite was found higher than the ADI level in 0.7%-16.4% of adults, and in 10.5%-66.2% of children, respectively [20]. Similarly, the amount of nitrite-nitrate in meat products was assessed in Estonia, and it was found that nitrite intake exceeded the ADI level by up to 140% for 1 to 6-year-old children [21].
In a study determining the intake of artificial food colors on 3141 children in Kuwait, it was found that tartrazine, sunset yellow, carmoisine and allura red were comsumed more than the ADI level [22,23].
The main objective of present study is not to carry out a scientific evaluation of these additives. This has been routinely done and reviewed by several authoritative bodies (i.e., European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and FDA). Full evaluation reports and ADI levels can easily be accessed via their web pages. Our aim is to gather safe food additives, which have probabilities:
• Stimulating carcinogenicity of other carcinogenic compounds at high doses.
Groups* Food Additives |
Group 1 |
Group 2A |
Group 2B |
Group 3 |
Cyclamic acid and its Na and Ca salts [24] |
|
|
|
X |
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) [25] |
|
|
X |
|
BHT [26] |
|
|
|
X |
Saccharin and its Na, K and Ca salts [27] |
|
|
|
X |
Talc not containing asbestiform fibres [28] |
|
|
|
X |
Carrageenan, native [29] |
|
|
|
X |
Carrageenan, degraded [29] |
|
|
X |
|
Group 2A: Probably carcinogenic to humans (Limited evidence in humans and sufficient evidence in animal)
Group 2B: Possibly carcinogenic to humans (Limited evidence in humans and less than sufficient evidence in animals)
Group 3: Not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans (Inadequate in humans and inadequate or limited in animals)
Food Additives |
Cancer Types |
Cyclamic acid and its Na and Ca Salts |
Colon and Hepatocellular tumors, Prostate adenocarcinoma, Thyroid and Uterus adenomas [30] |
Allura Red AC |
Colon tumor [31] |
Acesulfame potassium |
Urinary track tumor [32] |
Aspartame |
Urinary track tumor [32] Lymphoma, Leukemia and Breast tumor [33] |
BHA |
Breast tumor [34] |
BHT |
Bladder tumor [35]; Lung tumor [36] |
4-Hexylresorcinol |
Adrenal gland pheochromocytoma and Herderian gland tumor [37] |
Hexamethylenetetramine |
Kidney tumor [38] |
Carboxymethyl cellulose, Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose |
Fibrosarcoma at the side of subcutaneous injection [39,40] |
Xylitol |
Adrenal medulla tumor [41] |
Nitrates, Nitrites |
Colorectal cancer [42] Bladder tumor [43] Non-hodgkin lymphoma [44] Thyroid tumor [45] Brain [46] Hepatocellular tumor [47] Advanced prostate cancer [48] |
Propionic acid and its salts |
Forestomach tumor [49] |
Saccharin and its salts |
Bladder tumor [50]; Thyroid tumor [51] |
Talc
|
Adrenal gland and lung adenoma/carcinoma [52] Endometrial cancer (in genital usage of women as talcum powder) [53,54,55,56] |
Polyoxyethylene stearate |
Bladder papilloma [57] |
Food Additives |
Cancer Types and Cancer Causing Compounds |
Carrageenan |
Degraded carregeenan: Colorectal carcinoma without any carcinogenic agents [58] Native carregeenan: Colon carcinoma in the presence of azoxymethane or methylnitrosourea [59] |
Sodium Saccharin |
Bladder carcinoma in the presence of N-(4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl)formamide or N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine [60] |
Sorbitan monolaurate |
Stomach adenocarcinoma and gastric sarcoma in the presence of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) [61] Skin tumor in the presence of dimethylbenz[a]anthracene [62,63] |
Antioxidants related to cancer promoting |
Urinary bladder cancer caused by ascorbic acid and sodium erythorbate in the presence of N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine [64] Forestomach and urinary bladder carcinomas caused by sodium ascorbate in the presence of butylated hydroxyanisole, urinary bladder carcinoma enhanced by sodium erythorbate [65,66] Forestomach carcinoma caused by propyl gallate in the presence of sodium nitrite [67] Gastric carcinoma caused by the combination of sodium nitrite and ascorbic acid in the presence of MNNG [68] |
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