Ames Test to Detect Mutagenicity of 2-Alkylcyclobutanones: A Review

Abstract

Food irradiation is an effective and safe method for preservation and long-term storage, and it is approved for use in over 60 countries for various applications in a wide variety of food products. This process is performed by use of accelerated electron beams, X-rays, or gamma radiation (60Co or 137Cs). 2-Alkylcyclobutanones (2-ACBs) are the only known radiolytic products generated from foods that have fatty acids (triglycerides) and are subjected to irradiation. Since the 1990s toxicological safety studies of 2-ACBs have been conducted extensively through synthetic compounds, then and tests to determine if the compounds have any mutagenic activity are strictly necessary. The Ames test was chosen by many researchers to assess the mutagenicity of 2-ACBs. The test uses distinct bacterial cell lines Salmonella typhimurium to detect point mutations at sites guanine–cytosine (G–C) and Escherichia coli to detect point mutations at sites adenine–thymine (A–T). This bibliographic research aims to bring together all the results obtained and a comparison and cell lines used, type of plates, and solvents. This research showed that no mutagenic activity was observed in any of the cell lines and concentrations evaluated by the works of authors, so the 2-ACBs compounds showed no mutagenic substance in concentrations detectable by the Ames test.