Publications from the Carcinogenic Potency Project

Food Chemical Risk Analysis, David R. Tennant, ed., New York: Chapman and Hall, 1997, pp. 267-295

Prioritization of Possible Carcinogenic Hazards in Food

Lois Swirsky Gold, Thomas H. Slone, and Bruce N. Ames

Table 3. Ranking Possible Carcinogenic Hazards from Average U.S. Dietary Exposures to Natural and Synthetic Chemicals. (Chemicals that occur naturally in foods are in bold.)a

Possible hazard: HERP (%)Average daily US consumptionHuman dose of rodent carcinogenAverage exposure: References
2.1Beer, 257 gEthyl alcohol, 13.1 mlStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.5Wine, 28.0 gEthyl alcohol, 3.36 mlStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.1Coffee, 13.3 gCaffeic acid, 23.9 mgStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.04Lettuce, 14.9 gCaffeic acid, 7.90 mgTechnical Assessment Systems, 1989
0.03Safrole in spicesSafrole, 1.2 mgHall et al., 1989
0.03Orange juice, 138 gd-Limonene, 4.28 mgTechnical Assessment Systems, 1989
0.03Pepper, black, 446 mgd-Limonene, 3.57 mgStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.02Mushroom (Agaricus bisporus 2.55 g)Mixture of hydrazines, etc. (whole mushroom)Stofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.02Apple, 32.0 gCaffeic acid, 3.40 mgUSEPA, 1989b
0.02Coffee, 13.3 gCatechol, 1.33 mgStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.02Coffee, 13.3 gFurfural, 2.09 mgStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.01Beer (before 1979), 257 gDimethylnitrosamine, 726 ngStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.009BHA: daily US average (1975)BHA, 4.6 mgUSFDA, 1991b
0.008Aflatoxin: daily US average (1984-89)Aflatoxin, 18 ngUSFDA, 1992
0.006Coffee, 13.3 gHydroquinone, 333 µgStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.005Saccharin: daily US average (1977)Saccharin, 7 mgNational Research Council, 1979
0.005Carrot, 12.1 gAniline, 624 µgTechnical Assessment Systems, 1989,Neurath et al., 1977
0.004Potato, 54.9 gCaffeic acid, 867 µgTechnical Assessment Systems, 1989
0.004Celery, 7.95 gCaffeic acid, 858 µgEconomic Research Service, 1994
0.004White bread, 67.6 gFurfural, 500 µgStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.003Nutmeg, 27.4 mgd-Limonene, 466 µgStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.002Carrot, 12.1 gCaffeic acid, 374 µgTechnical Assessment Systems, 1989
0.002Ethylene thiourea: daily US average (1990)Ethylene thiourea, 9.51 µgUSEPA, 1991
0.002DDT: daily US average (before 1972 ban)DDT, 13.8 µgDuggan and Corneliussen, 1972
0.001Plum, 2.00 gCaffeic acid, 276 µgEconomic Research Service, 1995
0.001BHA: daily US average (1987)BHA, 700 µgUSFDA, 1991b
0.001Pear, 3.29 gCaffeic acid, 240 µgStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.001UDMH: daily US average (1988)UDMH, 2.82 µg (from Alar)USEPA, 1989a
0.0009Brown mustard, 68.4 mgAllyl isothiocyanate, 62.9 µgStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.0008Cinnamon, 21.9 mgCoumarin, 65.0 µgNational Toxicology Program, 1993,Poole and Poole, 1994
0.0008DDE: daily US average (before 1972 ban)DDE, 6.91 µgDuggan and Corneliussen, 1972
0.0007TCDD: daily US average (1994)TCDD, 12.0 pg/dayUSEPA, 1994
0.0007Bacon, 11.5 gDiethylnitrosamine, 11.5 ngStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.0006Mushroom (Agaricus bisporus 2.55 g)Glutamyl-p-hydrazinobenzoate, 107 µg Stofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.0004Bacon, 11.5 gN-Nitrosopyrrolidine, 196 ngStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.0004Bacon, 11.5 gDimethylnitrosamine, 34.5 ngStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.0004EDB: Daily US average (before 1984 ban)EDB, 420 ngUSEPA, 1984
0.0004Tap water, 1 liter (1987-92)Bromodichloromethane 13 µgAmerican Water Works Association, 1993
0.0003Mango, 1.22 gd-Limonene, 48.8 µgEconomic Research Service, 1995
0.0003Beer, 257 gFurfural, 39.9 µgStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.0003Tap water, 1 liter (1987-92)Chloroform, 17 µgAmerican Water Works Association, 1993
0.0003Carbaryl: daily US average (1990)Carbaryl, 2.6 µgUSFDA, 1991a
0.0002Celery, 7.95 g8-Methoxypsoralen, 4.86 µgEconomic Research Service, 1994
0.0002Toxaphene: daily US average (1990)Toxaphene, 595 ngUSFDA, 1991a
0.00009Mushroom (Agaricus bisporus 2.55 g)p-Hydrazinobenzoate, 28 µgStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.00008PCBs: daily US average (1984-86)PCBs, 98 ngGunderson, 1995
0.00008DDE/DDT: daily US average (1990)DDE, 659 ngUSFDA, 1991a
0.00007Parsnip, 54.0 mg8-Methoxypsoralen, 1.57 µgUnited Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, 1989
0.00006Hamburger, pan fried, 85 gPhIP, 176 ngTechnical Assessment Systems, 1989
0.00005Estragole in spicesEstragole, 1.99 µgStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.00005Parsley, fresh, 324 mg8-Methoxypsoralen, 1.17 µgUnited Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, 1989
0.00003Hamburger, pan fried, 85 gMeIQx, 38.1 ngTechnical Assessment Systems, 1989
0.00002Dicofol: daily US average (1990)Dicofol, 544 ngUSFDA, 1991a
0.00001Cocoa, 3.34 galpha-Methylbenzyl alcohol, 4.3 µgStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.00001Beer, 257 gUrethane, 115 ngStofberg and Grundschober, 1987
0.000005Hamburger, pan fried, 85 gIQ, 6.38 ngTechnical Assessment Systems, 1989
0.000001Lindane: daily US average (1990)Lindane, 32 ngUSFDA, 1991a
0.0000004PCNB: daily US average (1990)PCNB (Quintozene), 19.2 ngUSFDA, 1991a
0.0000001Chlorobenzilate: daily US average (1989)Chlorobenzilate, 6.4 ngUSFDA, 1991a
0.00000006Captan: daily US average (1990)Captan, 115 ngUSFDA, 1991a
<0.00000001Chlorothalonil: daily US average (1990)Chlorothalonil, <6.4 ngUSFDA, 1991a
0.000000008Folpet: daily US average (1990)Folpet, 12.8 ngUSFDA, 1991a

aCarcinogenic potency (TD50), values and additional exposure references can be found in Gold et al. (1997b).

Abbreviations: BHA, butylated hydroxyanisole; ETU, ethylene thiourea; EDB, ethylene dibromide; PCB, polychlorinated biphenyls; TCDD, tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin; UDMH, 1,1-dimethylhydrazine; PhIP, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]-pyridine; MeIQx, 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline; IQ, 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline; PCNB, pentachloronitrobenzene; MeIQ, 2-amino-3,4-dimethylmidazo[4,5-f]quinoline

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Last updated: April 14, 1999