Investigation of Genotoxic Effects of Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate and Sodium Nitrite

The genotoxic effects of potassium sorbate (E202), sodium benzoate (E211) and sodium nitrite (E250), which are in preservatives the classes of food additives, were examined using micronucleus method in human lymphocyte cultures. Concentrations were prepared as 200 μg/ml, 500 μg/ml and 1000 μg/ml for potassium sorbate, 100 μg/ml, 300 μg/ml and 800 μg/ml for sodium benzoate, 1 μg/ml, 10 μg/ml and 100 μg/ml for sodium nitrite respectively, according to Turkish Food Codex and added in culture. Our results indicated that, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate in foods have no genotoxic effect (p>0.05). However sodium nitrite has genotoxic effect for every concentrations (p<0.05).