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Essential fatty acids and prostate cancer
Pergamon
Food and Chemical Toxicology 35 (1997) 297-307 l~al mlCkae,l
Information Section ABSTRACTS FROM THE LITERATURE These abstractsare taken from a sectionof the BIBRA Bulletin, a current-awarenessjournal compiled by the Information& AdvisorySectionof BIBRAInternational.Thisuniquemonthly digestof health and safety developments informs its readers of the toxicologicalissues that may affect product acceptabilityin chemicaland nutritional areas, new and proposed regulatoryactivitiesand current th;nlr;n~ on future legislation,worldwide.The BIBRA Bulletin is availableon subscription.Further information can be obtainedfrom the Information& AdvisorySectionat BIBRAInternational(tel. +44 (0)181-652 1000;fax +44 (0)181-661 7029).
Safety assessment of alicycllc flavourings The US Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) has published the first of a series of papers on flavourings evaluated as GRAS. The principles of the GRAS Assessment Program are outlined, and details are provided on the background to the assessment of alicyclic flavouring substances. Summaries of usage data (including, where available, consumption ratios) and of metabolism and toxicity data (including no-observed-adver~.,cffect levels in repeated dose toxicity studies) are included in the appendices (Adams et aL, Food,and Chemical Toxicology 1996, 34, 763).
Safety of erythrt~tol in the diet In a recent review, a group of North American academics and cort~akants have concluded that the naturally occurring sweetener, erythritol, is generally recognize:l as safe (GRAS) under the conditions of its intended use in food. Metabolic studies have demonstrated that it is readily absorbed, but not metabolized, leading to its rapid excretion unchanged in the urine. Studies in animals and humans were said to have consistently shown erythritol to be safe, even when consumed at levds well in exo*.ssof the expected daily intake of approximately 70 mg/kg body weight/day for a 60-kg individual ~Semt et aL, Regulatory Toxicology and Pba~mcu:ology 1996, 24, S191).
Aspadame and dental caries Rats inoculated with the bacterium Streptococcus sobrinus (given in the drinking water) and receiving sucrose in the diet developed caries in 6-12 wk. A much reduced caries yield occurred in rats that
also received aspartame (about 150 mg/kg body weight/day) in the diet along with the sucrose. Negligible plaque bacterial populations and no dental caries were found in rats fed aspartame alone for 6-12 wk. The investigators concluded that aspartame "is noncariogenic and anticadogenic" ~)as e t a , Caries Researcb 1997, 31, 78).
Ergometrine maleate n subacute toxlclty in rats A 4-wk oral toxicity study in the rat with this ergot
alkaloid (a natural toxicant produced by Claviceps purpurea) identified a no-observed-effect level of about 1 mg/kg body weight/day. At higher dose levels microscopic examination revealed evidence of increased glycogen storage in the liver. There were increases in the organ weights of the heart, liver, ovaries and kidneys, and male rats also showed enlarged lymph nodes (Peters-Volleberg et aL, Food and Chemical Toxicology 1996, 34, 951).
Essential fatty acids and prostate c a n c e r The consumption of linoleic add, a fatty acid found in high concentrations in vegetable oil, may increase the risk of prostate cancer. The fatty add composition of adipose tissue and the membranes of red blood cells was studied in 89 prostate cancer patients and 38 non-cancer controls attending the same North Carolina urology clinic. Those whose tissues showed the highest concentrations of linoleic acid were found to be at greater risk of developing the cancer. No similar significant associations were found between prostate cancer and the consumption of eicosapentaenoic add, docosabexaenoic add (found in fLshoils), or a-linohnic acid (present in butter and vegetable oil) (Godley et aL Cancer Epidcmiology, Biomarkers and Pre'tmntion 1996, 5, 889).
0278-6915/97/$17.00 + 0.00 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Printed in Great Britain
Food and Chemical Toxicology 35 (1997) 297-307 l~al mlCkae,l
Information Section ABSTRACTS FROM THE LITERATURE These abstractsare taken from a sectionof the BIBRA Bulletin, a current-awarenessjournal compiled by the Information& AdvisorySectionof BIBRAInternational.Thisuniquemonthly digestof health and safety developments informs its readers of the toxicologicalissues that may affect product acceptabilityin chemicaland nutritional areas, new and proposed regulatoryactivitiesand current th;nlr;n~ on future legislation,worldwide.The BIBRA Bulletin is availableon subscription.Further information can be obtainedfrom the Information& AdvisorySectionat BIBRAInternational(tel. +44 (0)181-652 1000;fax +44 (0)181-661 7029).
Safety assessment of alicycllc flavourings The US Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) has published the first of a series of papers on flavourings evaluated as GRAS. The principles of the GRAS Assessment Program are outlined, and details are provided on the background to the assessment of alicyclic flavouring substances. Summaries of usage data (including, where available, consumption ratios) and of metabolism and toxicity data (including no-observed-adver~.,cffect levels in repeated dose toxicity studies) are included in the appendices (Adams et aL, Food,and Chemical Toxicology 1996, 34, 763).
Safety of erythrt~tol in the diet In a recent review, a group of North American academics and cort~akants have concluded that the naturally occurring sweetener, erythritol, is generally recognize:l as safe (GRAS) under the conditions of its intended use in food. Metabolic studies have demonstrated that it is readily absorbed, but not metabolized, leading to its rapid excretion unchanged in the urine. Studies in animals and humans were said to have consistently shown erythritol to be safe, even when consumed at levds well in exo*.ssof the expected daily intake of approximately 70 mg/kg body weight/day for a 60-kg individual ~Semt et aL, Regulatory Toxicology and Pba~mcu:ology 1996, 24, S191).
Aspadame and dental caries Rats inoculated with the bacterium Streptococcus sobrinus (given in the drinking water) and receiving sucrose in the diet developed caries in 6-12 wk. A much reduced caries yield occurred in rats that
also received aspartame (about 150 mg/kg body weight/day) in the diet along with the sucrose. Negligible plaque bacterial populations and no dental caries were found in rats fed aspartame alone for 6-12 wk. The investigators concluded that aspartame "is noncariogenic and anticadogenic" ~)as e t a , Caries Researcb 1997, 31, 78).
Ergometrine maleate n subacute toxlclty in rats A 4-wk oral toxicity study in the rat with this ergot
alkaloid (a natural toxicant produced by Claviceps purpurea) identified a no-observed-effect level of about 1 mg/kg body weight/day. At higher dose levels microscopic examination revealed evidence of increased glycogen storage in the liver. There were increases in the organ weights of the heart, liver, ovaries and kidneys, and male rats also showed enlarged lymph nodes (Peters-Volleberg et aL, Food and Chemical Toxicology 1996, 34, 951).
Essential fatty acids and prostate c a n c e r The consumption of linoleic add, a fatty acid found in high concentrations in vegetable oil, may increase the risk of prostate cancer. The fatty add composition of adipose tissue and the membranes of red blood cells was studied in 89 prostate cancer patients and 38 non-cancer controls attending the same North Carolina urology clinic. Those whose tissues showed the highest concentrations of linoleic acid were found to be at greater risk of developing the cancer. No similar significant associations were found between prostate cancer and the consumption of eicosapentaenoic add, docosabexaenoic add (found in fLshoils), or a-linohnic acid (present in butter and vegetable oil) (Godley et aL Cancer Epidcmiology, Biomarkers and Pre'tmntion 1996, 5, 889).
0278-6915/97/$17.00 + 0.00 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Printed in Great Britain