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Abstract: Food flavourings are an essential element in foods. Benzyl derivatives are the food additives which are used for increasing the taste of foods and beverages. In this study, different concentrations of four benzyl derivatives (benzaldehyde, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol and benzoic acid) used as flavour ingredients have been evaluated for genotoxicity in the wing somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART) of Drosophila melanogaster. Third-instar larvae trans-heterozygous for two genetic markers mwh and flr, were treated at different concentrations (0.1, 0.5, 1, 10, 25 and 50mM) of the test compounds. Wings of the emerging adult flies were scored for the presence of spots of mutant cells, which can result from either somatic mutation or mitotic recombination. Also lethal doses of benzyl derivatives used as flavour ingredients were determined in the experiments. For the evaluation of genotoxic effects, the frequencies of spots per wing in the treated series were compared to the control group, which is distilled water. Chemicals used were ranked as benzaldehyde, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol and benzoic acid according to their genotoxic effects. The present study shows that intensive administration of benzyl derivatives used as flavouring agents may have a significant genotoxic effects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Although the use of synthetic amorphous silica (SAS) is steady increasing, scarce information exists on its potential health risk. In particular few and conflictive data exist on its genotoxicity. To fill in this gap we have used Drosophila melanogaster as in vivo model test organism to detect the genotoxic activity of different SAS with different primary sizes (6, 15, 30 and 55 nm). The wing-spot assay and the comet assay in larvae haemocytes were used, and the obtained results were compared with those obtained with the microparticulated form (silicon dioxide). All compounds were administered to third instar larvae at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 10 mM. No significant increases in the frequencies of mutant spots were observed in the wing-spot assay with any of the tested compounds. On the other hand, significant dose-dependent increases in the levels of primary DNA damage, measured by the comet assay, were observed for all the SAS evaluated but mainly when high doses (5 and 10 mM) were used. These in vivo results contribute to increase the database dealing with the potential genotoxic risk associated to SAS nanoparticles exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Drosophila was used to determine the genotoxic risk of several nanomaterials. [•] Titanium, zirconium and aluminium nanoparticles, and their ions were tested. [•] Mutation/recombination effects in wing somatic cells were determined. [•] No increases in genetic damage levels were observed in any treatment. [•] Our results contribute to increase the genotoxicity database on nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]