Desmutagenic action of food components on mutagens formed by the sorbic acid/nitrite reaction.

Abstract

The desmutagenic activity of various food components on C-nitro mutagens formed by the nitrite/sorbic acid reaction was assayed and several vegetable juices were found to be effective for eliminating the mutagenicity of the nitrite/sorbic acid system. Especially, the desmutagenic activity of pumpkin juice was investigated, and ascorbic acid, cysteine and other reducing compounds were found to be responsible for desmutagenic actions on 1, 4-dinitro-2-methyl pyrrole, the main mutagen formed by the reaction of sorbic acid with sodium nitrite, by reduction of the conjugated C-nitro group to a C-amino group.