A METHOD FOR THE DETECTION OF PROTEIN-BOUND MUTAGENS IN FOOD

To investigate the possible presence of protein-bound mutagens in food an analytical procedure has been devised in which the sample is enzym ically hydrolysed, fractionated by HPLC and examined by a modified liq uid incubation Ames assay. To validate the method MeIQx was added, as a model compound, to beefburger and a recovery of 82% obtained. The li mit of detection for protein-bound mutagens was 1 mug/kg, expressed as equivalents of MeIQx. No detectable mutagenicity was observed when th e procedure was applied to samples of well cooked beefburger, irradiat ed chicken or mycoprotein.