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This research project aims to develop screening methods to detect potentially harmful chemicals in food.
<p>This project will develop methods to detect chemicals capable of activating the androgen receptor or the Ah receptor in cultured cells and in an experimental model system.
Foods can contain potentially harmful chemicals, either as natural constituents, as contaminants, or as by-products of food processing and cooking.
<p>In order to identify harmful chemicals present in foods and to assess the risks they may pose to human health, sensitive tests to detect and measure them must be developed.
<p>Some harmful chemicals found in foods exert their effects by interacting with cell receptors which affect the expression of specific genes.
<p>This project aims to develop tests to examine whether food components can bind to and activate two types of receptor: <ul>
<li>the androgen receptor, which plays a role in normal sexual development and function in males
<li>the arylhydrocarbon (Ah) receptor, which recognises a range of toxic compounds such as dioxin
</ul>
<P>
The final report, "<a href="http://www.foodbase.org.uk/results.php?f_report_id=159" target="_new">In Vivo and in Vitro Reporters for Androgen and Ah Receptor Responses to Food Components</a>" is available at Foodbase, an open access repository of the <acronym title="Food Standards Agency">FSA</acronym>.
<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>.