ABSTRACT
More than 15 different mutagenic heterocyclic arylamines have been identified as products of heating food. 1 , 2 Also, food can sometimes be contaminated with mutagenic mycotoxins (see Chapter 6.2). These mutagens are in general indirectly acting; they require conversion into activated forms in order to become mutagenic to cells. In the biological setting, this activation is carried out enzymatically. In this chapter, we discuss the pathway and the enzymes involved in biological activation. Considerable knowledge has been accumulated concerning the metabolic activation, on the basis mostly of studies using in vitro systems. Whole-animal in vivo studies, on the other hand, produce information as to the entire fate of these mutagens. This aspect will be the major subject of Chapter 7.2 by Alexander and Wallin.
