ABSTRACT
Components ............................................................................................... 459 19.5 Foodborne Mutagens and Carcinogens..................................................... 461
19.5.1 Introduction ................................................................................. 461 19.5.2 Mycotoxins .................................................................................. 462 19.5.3 Nitrosamines................................................................................ 462 19.5.4 Mutagens in Heat-Processed Foods............................................ 465
19.5.4.1 Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines ................................... 465 19.5.4.2 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons............................. 467 19.5.4.3 Acrylamide and Furan................................................. 468 19.5.4.4 Effect of Commercial Processing and Cooking
Techniques ................................................................... 468 19.5.5 Mutagens in Tea, Coffee, and Alcoholic Beverages .................. 470 19.5.6 Other Risk Factors ...................................................................... 471
19.6 Chemopreventive Food Components ........................................................ 473 19.6.1 Anticarcinogenic Food Components........................................... 474 19.6.2 Cancer Chemoprevention ............................................................ 477
19.7 Final Comment .......................................................................................... 478 References.............................................................................................................. 480
The factors and substances able to induce changes in the genetic code are called mutagens. Those that can cause cancer, excluding genetic susceptibility, are called carcinogens. Such factors are omnipresent in the human environment; they can be of natural origin or be formed as a result of numerous chemical processes. To these factors belong a variety of synthetic chemicals, combustion products, water and air pollutants, sunlight and ionizing radiation, cigarette smoke, alcohol, and some food components. Factors such as specific occupational exposures or cigarette smoking are clearly high-risk conditions for cancer. Diet, as a prevailing environmental variable related to cancer risk, was first proposed by Doll and Peto based on epidemiological observations (Doll and Peto, 1981). Their conclusion was a turning point in identifying not only causes, but paved the way to preventability of cancer (Colditz et al., 2006).
