Genotoxicity of fumes from heated cooking oils produced in Taiwan

Epidemiologic investigations of lung cancer among Taiwanese nonsmoking wome n have found that exposure to fumes from cooking oils may be an important r isk factor. Fume samples from three different commercial cooking oils (lard , soybean, and peanut oils) often used in Taiwan for preparing Chinese meal s were collected for genotoxicity analysis in SOS chromotest and sister chr omatid exchange (SCE) assays. The induction factors of the SOS chromotest i n Escherichia coli PQ 37 were dependent on the concentrations of lard and s oybean cooking oil extracts without S9 mix. In addition, when CHO-K1 cells were exposed to condensates of cooking oil fumes for 12 h, SCEs showed a do se-related increase in extracts of lard and soybean oil fumes. This result provides experimental evidence and is in accordance with the findings of ep idemiologic studies that women exposed to the emitted fumes of cooking oils are at an increase risk of contracting lung cancer. (C) 1999 Academic Pres s.