Mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of smoked meat from Nagaland, a region of India prone to a high incidence of nasopharyngeal cancer

The incidence of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) in the north-eastern part of India is reported to be high. A possible correlation between consumption of smoked meat by the tribal people and high suceptibility to NPC has been postulated. The charred portion of smoked beef and meat of other animals was collected from this area, extracted with acetone and the extract (SME) was tested using the Ames test as well as for chromosomal aberration in mouse bone marrow cells and carcinogenicity using Swiss bare mice. It was oberved that SME was mutagenic in all five strains of Salmonella typhimurium (TA98, TA1538, TA100, TA1535 and TA1537), with or without S9 mix, and was clastogenic in a mammalian test system. SME also has the potential to induce skin papilloma as well as systemic tumours in Swiss bare mice. Chemical analysis of SME revealed the presence of low concentrations of volatile nitrosamines.