Carcinogens malonaldehyde

Shamberger RJ, Andreone TL, Willis CE. 1974. Antioxidants and cancer. IV. Initiating activity of malonaldehyde as a carcinogen. J Natl Cancer Inst 53 1771-1773. 

Malonaldehyde sodium salt was tested for carcinogenicity in one experiment in mice and in one experiment in rats by oral administration. No increase in tumour incidence was found in mice. In rats, the incidence of follicular-cell tumours of the thyroid was increased in both sexes at the high dose and the incidence of pancreatic islet-cell adenomas was increased in low-dose males. 

Malonaldehyde, its bis(dimethylacetal) and its sodium salts were tested for carcinogenicity in mice by skin application no carcinogenic activity was observed. 

No epidemiological data relevant to the carcinogenicity of malonaldehyde were available. 

There is limited evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of malonaldehyde. 

Malonaldehyde, a major product of autoxidatlon of polyunsaturated fatty acids is a very reactive substance and reacts with amino acids, proteins and other chemical substances present in meats. Its concentration is generally determined by the 2-thlobarblturlc acid (TEA) test. Malonaldehyde may be used as an indicator for evaluation of the oxidative state of cooked meats. It has been reported that warmed-over flavor in beef is generally perceived when TEA number of cooked meats exceed numerical values of 0.5 to 1.0 (31). Malonaldehyde has also been implicated as having mutagenic and perhaps carcinogenic effects (32). Its presence further affects the rheological properties and texture of cooked meat products. Despite these, malonaldehyde has very little or no... 

However, the limited studies to date indicate that these substances have chemical reactivity and mutagenicity similar to acetaldehyde and malonaldehyde. Therefore, NIOSH recommends that careful consideration should be given to reducing exposures to these nine related aldehydes. Further information can be found in NIOSH Current Intelligence Bulletin 55 Carcinogenicity of Acetaldehyde and Malonaldehyde, and Mutagenicity of Related Low-Molecular-Weiglit Aldehydes [DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 91-112]. This document is available on the NIOSH Web site (http //www.cdc.gov/niosh/91112 55.html). 

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