Metabolism and toxicology of heterocyclic aromatic amines when consumed in diet: Influence of the genetic susceptibility to develop human cancer. A review

There is not sufficient scientific evidence to support the hypothesis that human cancer risk is specifically due to the intake of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) in diet. Epidemiological evidence appears to imply two main factors in the HAAs carcinogenicity. These factors are the very high frequency of consumption of red meats, and very darkly browned meats from cooking, which are HAAs-containing foods. The present review focuses on the fact that the cancer risk is notably enhanced when certain genotypes related to HAAs metabolism are present. Thus, genetic predisposition seems to be the main factor in cancer development related to HAAs, and possibly the co-presence of other mutagenic compounds in diet. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.