Fish, broiled, mutagenic activity

Epidemiologic studies in Japan indicate an increased risk of stomach cancer owing to consumption of broiled fish and meats (116). In the United States, stomach cancer incidence has steadily declined since the 1940s, whereas consumption of broiled food has increased (108). In addition, the average human intake of PAHs is only 0.002 of that required to produce cancer in half of animals fed. Test results are often contradictory (117) and many components of food, such as vitamin A, unsaturated fatty acids, thiols, nitrites, and even saUva itself, tend to inhibit the mutagenic activity of PAHs (118—120). Therefore, the significance of PAHs in the human diet remains unknown (121,109). 

Mutagenic activity is also present in broiled herring, mackerel and sardine (11,12,22). In part, these mutagens were later identified as Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 (12) and IQ and 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo [4,5-fJquinoline (Me-IQ)(13). In addition, Bjeldanes e t a. (23) have also reported mutagen formation in pan-fried fish, such as rock cod, sole, halibut, trout, salmon and red snapper. However, the mutagenic activity is low compared to that in beef. 

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