Cytogenotoxicity of food preservatives in mammalian cells: Asystematic review

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This systematic review investigates the cytogenotoxicity of various foodpreservatives in mammalian cells, including sodium benzoate and potassiumsorbate, through a comprehensive analysis of studies retrieved from PubMed,SCOPUS, and Web of Science. An orderly search conducted in March 2025 identified19 relevant studies (from an initial 594), which employed assays, such as themicronucleus test and the comet assay to assess DNA damage, and MTT assay andpolychromatic/normochromatic erythrocytes (PCE/NCE) ratio for evaluatingcytotoxicity. Among these, 13 studies (68 %) reported genotoxic effects, withsodium benzoate being the most frequently associated with micronucleus formationand chromosomal abnormalities. Additionally, 12 studies (63 %) describedcytotoxic effects, evidenced by decreased cell viability, altered proliferationindices, or nuclear alterations. As for the quality assessment, 18 studies (outof 19) were categorized as strong (n = 15) or moderate (n = 3) and, therefore,we consider our findings to be trustworthy. In summary, the consistentassociation between exposure to food preservatives and cytogenotoxic outcomeshighlights the importance of monitoring such compounds and establishing clearersafety thresholds to protect human health. Certainly, these findings areimportant for clarifying the role of biomarkers related to cytogenotoxicity dueto food preservative consumption in humans.