FOOD-BORNE HETEROCYCLIC AMINES - CHEMISTRY, FORMATION, OCCURRENCE ANDBIOLOGICAL-ACTIVITIES - A LITERATURE-REVIEW

This review summarizes the abundant literature on food-borne heterocyc lic amines, their chemistry and formation, their occurrence in food, t heir biological activities including mutagenicity, induction of DNA da mage and carcinogenicity. Pharmacokinetics and biotransformation are a lso discussed. Factors that influence these effects are given consider ation, with special emphasis on dietary factors that might counteract detrimental biological effects. The annual per capita intake of hetero cyclic amines via food is estimated. Risk extrapolations that have bee n published suggest that food-borne heterocyclic amines are relevant f or human cancer etiology.