<b>Processed fruit juice ready to drink: screening acute toxicity at the cellular level

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The present study evaluated the acute toxicity at the cellular level of processed juice ready for consumption Orange and Grape flavors, produced by five companies with significant influence on the food market of South American countries, especially in Brazil. This evaluation was performed in root meristem cells of Allium cepa L., at the exposure times of 24 and 48 hours, directly with marketed liquid preparations. Based on the results, it was found that fruit juices, of all companies considered, promoted significant antiproliferative effect to root meristems at the exposure time of 24 hours and resulted in at both exposure times, statistically significant number of mitotic spindle changes and chromosomal breaks. Therefore, under the study conditions, all juice samples analyzed were cytotoxic, genotoxic and mutagenic to root meristem cells. These results indicate that such beverages have relevant potential to cause cellular disorders and, thus, need to be evaluated more fully in more complex test systems, as those in rodents, and then establish specific toxicity at the cellular level of these juices and ensure the well-being of those who consume them.Keywords: industrialized juice, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, mutagenicity, meristem tissue.Sucos de frutas industrializados prontos para consumo: screening da toxicidade aguda em nível celular RESUMO. Objetivou-se neste trabalho avaliar a toxicidade aguda em nível celular de sucos industrializados prontos para beber, sabor laranja e uva, de cinco empresas alimentícias de reconhecida reputação no mercado de alimentos em países da América do Sul, especialmente o Brasil. Esta avaliação se deu por meio das células meristemáticas de raízes de Allium cepa L., nos tempos de exposição 24 e 48h, diretamente nos preparados líquidos comercializados. Com base nos resultados obtidos verificou-se que os sucos de frutas, de todas as empresas consideradas, promoveram expressivo efeito antiproliferativo aos meristemas de raízes já no tempo de exposição 24h, e ocasionaram número estatisticamente significativo de alterações de fuso mitótico e quebras cromossômicas nas células do tecido analisado em todo o tempo de análise. Portanto, nas condições de estudo estabelecidas, os sucos das empresas avaliadas foram citotóxicos, genotóxicos e mutagênicos. Estes resultados são importantes em razão de indicarem que tais alimentos têm relevante potencial em causar distúrbios celulares e, portanto, devem ser avaliados em sistemas com testes mais complexo, como os em roedores, para, dessa forma, estabelecer com propriedade a toxicidade em nível celular desses alimentos e assegurar o bem-estar daqueles que os consomem.Palavras-chave: sucos industrializados, citotoxicidade, genotoxicidade, mutagenicidade, tecido meristemático.

Antiproliferative, genotoxic and mutagenic potential of synthetic chocolate food flavoring

“…Corroborating the result of inhibition of cell proliferation, Silva et al (2016) evaluated a synthetic, liquid food flavoring of chocolate also produced and marketed in Brazil, in concentrations 0.2; 0.4 and 0.6 mL/L -concentrations closer to those usually recommended by manufacturers of chocolate flavor and flavor additives in Brazil, which is 1.00 mL -and found a drastic reduction in cell proliferation in root meristem tissues of A. cepa during 24 and 48 hours of exposure. Likewise, Silva et al (2017) assessed the toxicity of an artificial, liquid chocolate flavoring marketed in Brazil, in concentrations 0.5; 1.0; 2.0; 5.0 and 10.0 mL/L in bone marrow cells of mice treated via gavage for seven days, and reported a significant cytotoxicity to hematopoietic cells by drastically reducing cell division. Sales et al (2017) point out that the severe inhibition of division in normal tissues, such as that observed for concentration 100.00 µL/L chocolate flavoring, and observed by Silva et al (2017), in their studies, can occur due to the action of agents affecting the integrity of the nuclear spindle during mitosis, promoting significant chromosomal rearrangement.…”

“…In Brazil, synthetic food flavorings are found in variety stores and supermarkets, however, they are sold without quantity limits, at a very affordable cost, and without inspection of the actual concentrations used in processed foods (Silva et al, 2017;Sales et al, 2018. Among the food flavorings are the liquid, aroma and flavor synthetic chocolate additives, which in this country, in addition to industry, are widely used in small food factories, bakeries and confectioneries, in the production of sweet foods of the most varied types, being widely consumed by children and adults.…”

“…However, there are studies reporting that chemical compounds present in chocolate additives caused toxicity at the cellular level in different bioassays (Whittaker et al, 2008;Demir et al, 2011;More et al, 2012;Silva et al, 2017;Sales et al, 2018). Thus, it becomes relevant to evaluate commercialized chocolate flavoring solutions to check their cytotoxic, genotoxic and mutagenic potential.…”

Toxicity of food flavorings to ex-vivo, in vitro and in vivo bioassays

“…Nauplii of this species are used as biological test to evaluate the toxic potential of useful natural and/or synthetic substances . The lethality of this organism has been used to identify biological responses, in the which variables such as death or life are the only ones involved (Meyer et al, 1982;Paredes et al, 2016;Silva et al, 2017).…”

Developing the Methods of Food Preservatives Extraction From Complex Matrices for Bioassay Purpose

“…Currently, the Allium test is widely and successfully used to study the toxic, cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of food additives [6]. Several papers have also been published, in which onion roots were placed directly in food products such as drinks, juices, and milk [7,8,9]. However, these experiments are not so unambiguous, because high concentration of carbohydrates in drinks and juices, and the presence of emulsion in milk are undesirable factors in the Allium test.…”