Mutagenicity of Heated Cottonseed Frying Oil

Abstract

A control experiment showed that cottonseed oil used in frying falafel developed significant mutagenic activity. As a result, one hundred samples of fresh and used cottonseed oil employed commercially for frying falafel were collected from restaurants in thirteen major cities of Egypt. Samples were examined for mutagenic activity using the Salmonella typhimurium assay with and without S9. Six of the heated oil samples showed significant mutagenic activity. None of the fresh unheated oil samples were mutagenic. Salmonella typhimurium TA 102 gave a higher response than did either TA 100 or TA 98. Peroxide, hydroxyl, acid and conjugated diene values were much higher for mutagenic samples. Iodine values, however, were lower. Liquid chromatography fractionation revealed that the mutagenicity was concentrated in the polar fraction. The column fraction having the highest mutagenic activity was further examined by chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques.

Volatile Constituents of Used Frying Oils

“…Six commonly used frying oils showed no mutagenic activity with strains TA98 and TA100 after heating at 180 °C for 24 h (Van Gastel et al, 1984). In their study of 100 samples of used cottonseed frying oil obtained from restaurants, Saleh et al (1986) found significant mutagenic activity in only six samples. Hageman et al (1988) showed that repeatedly used frying fats obtained from restaurants and snack bars possessed mutagenic activity, with the majority of activity residing in the polar fraction of the fat.…”

Comprehensive Assessment of Antioxidant Activity of Essential Oils

“…In addition to the health effects on humans in the form of oxidative stress or oxidative damages, there are major concerns in food technology resulting from lipid oxidation, due to the formation of oxidation products such as fatty acid hydroperoxides and secondary degradation products including acrolein and related unsaturated aldehydes and ketones (Saleh and others 1986). These autoxidation products of fats and oils are responsible for off‐flavors with characteristic rancid odors and are responsible for the decrease of both the nutritional quality and safety of foods (Hertog et al 1993).…”

Bioluminescent Bacterial Genotoxicity Test for Fatty Acid Derivatives and Heated Oils

“…There has been considerable concern over the mutagenic potential of continually reused fats. Studies by Taylor et al (1983), Hageman et al (1988), andSaleh et al (1986) indicated that repeatedly used frying fats were mutagenic in the Ames test.…”