Dietary contribution to genotoxic risk and its control

Both exogenous and endogenous mutagens have the potential to contribute to events leading to carcinogenesis. While many dietary exogenous mutagens have been characterized, aflatoxins are the only exogenous mutagens in food which have been shown to directly increase the risk of liver cancer in humans. Little attention has been given so far to endogenous DNA damage, its potential to contribute to carcinogenesis, and the influence of genetic and environmental factors such as the diet on the process. This paper reviews the use of biomarkers which may assist in measuring these effects, their potential use in improving risk analysis for dietary mutagens, their application in molecular epidemiology, and their potential for studying dietary protective factors.