Degradation of the natural mutagenic compound safrole in spices by cooking and irradiation

• Published in: Die Nahrung Vol. 41; no. 6; p. 359
• Main Authors: Farag, S.E.A, Abo-Zeid, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 1997
• Subjects: ANIS ESTRELLADO; ANIS ETOILE; CHROMATOGRAPHIE GAZ LIQUIDE; Chromatography, Gas; COCCION; COMINO; COOKING; CROMATOGRAFIA GAS-LIQUIDO; CUISSON; CUMIN; DEGRADACION; DEGRADATION; DRYING; ENCUESTAS; ENQUETE; EPICE; ESPECIAS; Food Analysis; GAS LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY; GINGEMBRE; GINGER; JENGIBRE; MICROONDAS; MICROONDES; MICROWAVE RADIATION; Microwaves; MUTAGENE; Mutagenicity Tests; MUTAGENOS; MUTAGENS; Mutagens - chemistry; Mutagens - radiation effects; PEPPER; PIMIENTA; POIVRE; Safrole - chemistry; Safrole - radiation effects; SECADO; SECHAGE; SPICES; Spices - analysis; Spices - radiation effects; STAR ANISE; SURVEYS
• ISSN: 0027-769X; 1611-6070
• DOI: 10.1002/food.19970410609

Safrole was determined using gas-liquid chromatography in some common spices as star anise, cumin, black pepper and ginger. Safrole concentration in these spices was 9235, 3432, 955 and 500 mg*kg-1, respectively. Black pepper was chosen to use in the following experiments . Using Ames-test with Salmonella TA 98 and TA 100 proved high cytotoxic effects due to pure safrole and black pepper volatile oil in both of them. The degradation of safrole was obvious after drying of the washed seeds of black pepper especially at 70 deg C for 30 min or with sun-drying. Also, high irradiation doses (20 and 30 kGy) caused high degradation of more than 90% of the initial toxic concentration in black pepper. Whereas, microwave caused same effects at 75 s, but unfortunately, the powder was burned due to moisture absence. Boiling wholew seeds or powder of black pepper during cooking for few minutes (1-5 min) were more efficient in decreasing safrole content. Finally, these results proved that the mutagenicity of some spices due to presence of safrole can be destructed during drying of the washed seeds or during cooking either with or without anny additional treatment as irradiation. But irradiation of these spices became more necessary for using in some food industries as milk produkts to get more safe for human consumption.