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This research project aims to develop methods to assess the health effects from mixtures of food chemicals by using four well characterised food additives.
<p>The aim of the present work is to continue the development of methods to assess the health effects of mixtures of food additives, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), curcumin (CC), propyl gallate (PG) and thiabendazole (TB).
<p>The aim is to test the additives both individually and in various statistically determined combinations, to assess whether there are any interactions between the chemicals.
<p>This project is a continuation of previous work performed in the FSA-funded project T01021 and will be performed in collaboration with project T01041.
<p>T01040 will focus on study design, analysis of gene expression and statistical analysis of results. T01041 will focus on conducting studies in rat and human liver cells. BHT, CC, PG and TB are known to produce liver effects in animal studies.
An in vivo 28-day study has been performed in rats as part of T01021, with BHT, CC, PG and TB tested as individual components and in mixtures.
<p>Gene expression analysis will be undertaken on liver samples from this study in order to assess whether gene expression changes induced by mixture exposures are similar to gene expression changes induced by individual additives.
<p>Based on the results of the in vivo studies outlined above, dose levels and parameters will be selected to be employed in in vitro rat and human liver studies, for comparison of in vitro and in vivo results for the rat, and to provide information on potential differences in response between rats and humans.
<p>Find more about this project and other FSA food safety-related projects at the <a href="http://www.food.gov.uk/science/research/" target="_blank">Food Standards Agency Research webpage</a>.