Microbial biotransformation of N-nitro-, C-nitro-, and C-nitrous-type mutagens by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus in meat products

• Published in: Food and chemical toxicology Vol. 136; p. 110964
• Main Authors: Molognoni, Luciano, Motta, Gabriel Emiliano, Daguer, Heitor, De Dea Lindner, Juliano
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2020
• Subjects: 2-Methyl-1,4-dinitro-pyrrole; Antioxidants - chemistry; Ascorbic Acid - chemistry; Carcinogenesis; Ethylnitrolic acid; Food Microbiology; Food preservatives; Food Preservatives - chemistry; Food safety; Hydroxylamines - metabolism; Lactobacillus delbrueckii - metabolism; Meat Products - microbiology; Microbial starters; Mutagens - metabolism; Nitriles - metabolism; Pyrroles - metabolism; Sodium Nitrite - chemistry; Sorbic Acid - chemistry; 2-Methyl-1,4-dinitro-pyrrole; Ethylnitrolic acid; Food preservatives; Food safety; Carcinogenesis; Microbial starters
• ISSN: 0278-6915; 1873-6351
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2019.110964

Processed meats are classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as carcinogenic to humans. However, information on the responsible agents and the influence of industrial processing on the increased risk of cancer is still lacking. This study aimed to use cultures of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LB-UFSC 01 to biodegrade harmful C-nitrous, N-nitro, and C-nitro compounds in processed meat matrix. Firstly, positive results for ethylnitrolic acid (ENA) (>5.00 μg kg−1) and 2-methyl-1,4-dinitro-pyrrole (DNMP) (>12.0 μg kg−1) were obtained in mortadellas produced under different experimental conditions employing preservatives and antioxidants. Mortadellas containing nitrite and sorbate in the ratio of 8:1 (w/w) yielded the highest concentrations of mutagens. However, the treatment with the LB-UFSC 01 culture was able to modulate the harmful compounds in the mortadella samples. Several analytical methods employing liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and statistical models were employed to identify the metabolites and reaction routes during microbial biotransformation. For the first time, relevant information regarding the formation and degradation of ENA and DNMP in a processed meat model simulating real conditions was presented. •ENA and DNMP mutagenic products were identified in a mortadella model.•Lb. bulgaricus modulated noxious C-nitrous, N-nitro &C-nitro compounds in mortadella.•Main routes of ENA and DNMP bioconversion by Lb. bulgaricus were presented.•Lb. bulgaricus used enzymes to eliminate the potential mutagenic of the compounds.•Several LC-MS methods and statistical models were employed in the study.