Mutagenic potential of ammonia‐related aflatoxin reaction products in a model system

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Abstract
In a joint research effort, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Toxicology Program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture determined the mutagenic potential of aflatoxin reaction products following ammoniation of aflatoxin B 1 in a pressure chamber used to decontaminate aflatoxin‐contaminated cottonseed meal. Uniformly ring‐labeled (14C)‐aflatoxin B1 was added to nonlabeled B1, distributed on an inert carrier and treated with 4% ammonia at 40 psi, 100 C, for 30 min. Aflatoxin‐derived decontamination reaction products were separated, and fractions having a high specific activity were tested for mutagenic activity using the Salmonella/mammalian‐microsome mutagenicity assay (Ames test). When concentrations ranging from 3.3 to 100 μg per plate were tested, all fractions exhibited a similar mutagenic response. The observed mutagenic activity was 2,000‐20,000 times less than that observed with nonammoniated aflatoxin B1.