Mutagenicity of pyrolysates of salt-tolerant bacteria from food and cigarettes

Abstract

Smoke condensates obtained by pyrolysis of the cells of microorganisms isolated from food and cigarettes and of laboratory cultures were shown to be mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 in incorporation with liver microsomal fraction S-9 mix. The smoke condensates from salttolerant bacteria, which belonged to Micrococcus, Bacillus and Corynebacterium spp., showed higher mutagenic activity than those from other less salt-tolerant organisms, fish flesh or pork. Smoke deriving from microorganisms, especially salt-tolerant ones, in food or cigarettes as well as from food components might take part in human carcinogenesis because of the correlation between mutagenicity and carcinogenicity.