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Number of cells observed in each phase of the cell cycle of the root meristem tissue of Allium cepa treated with processed juices ready for consumption, orange and grape flavors, of the food companies A, B, C, D and E, at the exposure times of 24 and 48 hours.
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The present study evaluated the acute toxicity at the cellular level of processed juice ready for consumption Orange and Grape flavors, produced by five companies with significant influence on the food market of South American countries, especially in Brazil. This evaluation was performed in root meristem cells of Allium cepa L., at the exposure ti...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... the results in Table 1, it was observed that the Orange and Grape juices of the company A significantly reduced the cell division index at the 24 hours exposure time compared to the mitotic index observed for its respective control. This result is more pronounced at the 48 hours exposure time, in which the cell division index was statistically lower than those observed for the respective controls and 24 hours exposure time. ...Context 2
... condition with the liquid preparations indicates that they should be evaluated in animal test systems, since, according to Queiroz, Matias, Cunha and Schwarz (2013), the occurrence of cell changes, though not considered a carcinogenicity measurement, are often associated with the appearance of cancer, as there is a positive correlation between increased mitotic spindle aberrations, as well as micro nucleated cells, and detection of neoplasms. Also, the frequency of cell changes observed in Table 2 confirms the results of reduced cell division in Table 1. Aissa et al. (2012) report that metaphases with misalignment of chromosomes on the equatorial plate or colchicine metaphase, as well as delayed chromosomes in anaphase and/or telophase, or anaphase and telophase bridges, result in formation of cells with different chromosome numbers, and chromosome structural changes. ...Citations
... However, there are studies reporting that chemical compounds present in chocolate additives caused toxicity at the cellular level in different bioassays (Whittaker et al., 2008;Demir et al., 2011;More et al., 2012;Silva et al., 2017;Sales et al., 2018). Thus, it becomes relevant to evaluate commercialized chocolate flavoring solutions to check their cytotoxic, genotoxic and mutagenic potential. ...
... Corroborating the result of inhibition of cell proliferation, Silva et al. (2016) evaluated a synthetic, liquid food flavoring of chocolate also produced and marketed in Brazil, in concentrations 0.2; 0.4 and 0.6 mL/L -concentrations closer to those usually recommended by manufacturers of chocolate flavor and flavor additives in Brazil, which is 1.00 mL -and found a drastic reduction in cell proliferation in root meristem tissues of A. cepa during 24 and 48 hours of exposure. Likewise, Silva et al. (2017) assessed the toxicity of an artificial, liquid chocolate flavoring marketed in Brazil, in concentrations 0.5; 1.0; 2.0; 5.0 and 10.0 mL/L in bone marrow cells of mice treated via gavage for seven days, and reported a significant cytotoxicity to hematopoietic cells by drastically reducing cell division. Sales et al. (2017) point out that the severe inhibition of division in normal tissues, such as that observed for concentration 100.00 µL/L chocolate flavoring, and observed by Silva et al. (2017), in their studies, can occur due to the action of agents affecting the integrity of the nuclear spindle during mitosis, promoting significant chromosomal rearrangement. ...
... Likewise, Silva et al. (2017) assessed the toxicity of an artificial, liquid chocolate flavoring marketed in Brazil, in concentrations 0.5; 1.0; 2.0; 5.0 and 10.0 mL/L in bone marrow cells of mice treated via gavage for seven days, and reported a significant cytotoxicity to hematopoietic cells by drastically reducing cell division. Sales et al. (2017) point out that the severe inhibition of division in normal tissues, such as that observed for concentration 100.00 µL/L chocolate flavoring, and observed by Silva et al. (2017), in their studies, can occur due to the action of agents affecting the integrity of the nuclear spindle during mitosis, promoting significant chromosomal rearrangement. When considering that the principle of the cell cycle is the formation of identical cells, the production of new cells with significant changes in the structure and/or number of chromosomes impedes cell functioning and tends to be eliminated from tissues with normal performance, which can lead to a significant antiproliferative effect. ...
Flavoring additives are of great technological importance for the food industry. However, there is little information regarding the toxicological properties of these micro-ingredients, especially at the cellular level. The present study used meristematic root cells of Allium cepa L. to evaluate the toxicity of a liquid, aroma and flavor synthetic chocolate additive, manufactured and widely marketed throughout Brazil and exported to other countries in South America. The flavoring concentrations evaluated were 100.00; 50.00; 25.00; 1.00; 0.50 and 0.25 µL/L, where the highest concentration established was one-hundred times lower than that commercially suggested for use. The concentration 100 µL/L substantially reduced cell division of meristems within 24- and 48-hours exposure. Concentrations from 100.00 to 0.50 µL/L resulted in a significant number of prophases to the detriment of the other phases of cell division, indicating an aneugenic activity, and induced a significant number of cellular changes, with emphasis on micronuclei, nuclear buds and chromosomal breaks. Under the established analysis conditions, with the exception of concentration 0.25 µL/L, the flavoring of chocolate caused cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and mutagenicity to root meristems.
... Currently, the Allium test is widely and successfully used to study the toxic, cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of food additives [6]. Several papers have also been published, in which onion roots were placed directly in food products such as drinks, juices, and milk [7,8,9]. However, these experiments are not so unambiguous, because high concentration of carbohydrates in drinks and juices, and the presence of emulsion in milk are undesirable factors in the Allium test. ...
The presence of food additives in food products may be associated with the risk of their toxic effects on human body. Therefore, the study of approaches to testing their safety seems to be a particularly urgent task. The aim of this study was to determine the conditions for extracting food preservatives from the samples of preserved pureed vegetables for further bioassay of the extract obtained in the Allium test. Onion roots were used as a test object in this method. Two extraction methods of benzoic and sorbic acids added to pureed vegetables have been developed. Distilled water and acetone were used as extracting solutions. The extraction efficiency was evaluated on Shimadzu Prominence LC-20 liquid chromatograph (Japan) in the ultraviolet range, wavelength 235 nm (benzoic acid), 285 nm (sorbic acid). According to the results of studies using both water and acetone as extractants, the degree of preservatives extraction was approximately the same and quite high. In the quantitative calculation of the preservatives content in pureed vegetables, the value of the correction factor was 0.8. However, due to certain production characteristics of this product, i. e. the stage of cauliflower homogenization, obtaining an extract with acetone seems to be more acceptable for the Allium test conditions.
... Nauplii of this species are used as biological test to evaluate the toxic potential of useful natural and/or synthetic substances . The lethality of this organism has been used to identify biological responses, in the which variables such as death or life are the only ones involved (Meyer et al., 1982;Paredes et al., 2016;Silva et al., 2017). ...
This study evaluated the toxicity of food flavorings of mint, cinnamon and lemon in meristem root cells of Allium cepa, in pure form (as marketed) and in the concentrations of 12.5, 25, and 50%, after 24 and 48 hours of exposure; in Vero cell culture evaluated by MTT test and in nauplii of Artemia salina, both tests used flavorings in pure form and in the concentrations of 0.78, 1.56, 3.12, 6.25, 12.5, 25, and 50%, after 24 hours of exposure. The three flavorings, in all treatments and times of analysis considered, caused significant inhibition of cell division. However, the flavorings did not cause cellular alterations to the evaluated meristems. All evaluated treatments significantly reduced the viability of the evaluated cell line and promoted 100% lethality of A. salina nauplii. The evaluated flavorings, under the established study conditions, promoted wide and significant toxicity.
