A.V. Samoilov, N. M. Suraeva
Abstract. The field of application of biomarkers in food toxicology is expanding every year, since these indicators reflect the metabolic reactions of the body to complex mixtures of natural and synthetic components of food, taking into account their interaction. The use of higher plants as test objects is especially promising in this area. Plant models are economical and are not inferior in sensitivity to microbiological and animal test systems. The purpose of the studies was to analyze and structure existing information on the screening of metabolic biomarkers when testing toxic food additives, food contaminants, and food matrix components using Allium cepa onion roots (allium test). The majority of food researchers choose indicators of oxidative systemic stress as the preferred biochemical markers for testing. These include antioxidant enzymes, low molecular weight antioxidants, and lipid peroxidation metabolites. Enzymes of the cytochrome P450 family involved in the oxidation of endogenous and exogenous xenobiotics also proved to be effective candidates for the role of bioindicators of toxic contaminants in food raw materials. It is obvious that the allium test, like any other test system, cannot provide a possible universal biomarker for various effects of food components. Therefore, approaches using a battery of biomarkers for studying the molecular, cellular, and physiological mechanisms of the body’s response to the effect of food ingredients can be considered the most relevant. Due to the complex composition of food matrices, the study identifying biomarkers can claim a leading role in the screening of toxic foods.
Keywords: food products; toxicity; biomarkers; allium test.
Author Details: A. V. Samoilov, Cand. Sc. (Biol.), head of laboratory (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.); N. M. Suraeva, Doc. Sc. (Biol), chief research fellow.
For citation: Samoilov AV, Suraeva NM [Prospects for the use of plant biotesting to search for metabolic biomarkers of the toxic potential of components of food matrices (review)]. Dostizheniya nayki i tekniki APK. 2021;35(4):65-71. Russian. doi: 10.24411/0235-2451-2021-10411.