Approaches to the Risk Assessment of Genotoxic Carcinogens in Food: A Critical Appraisal ANNEX Introduction to Genetic Toxicology

This review document addresses the processes of DNA damage, repair and mutation as key steps on the pathway towards cancer development and also briefly describes the most common genotoxicity tests used in the evaluation of whether a compound is genotoxic or not. Knowledge that the carcinogen under evaluation is genotoxic or nongenotoxic is a vital stage of the risk assessment and influences the handling of the human health issues arising from the compound. It is not possible within the scope of this document to provide guidance on the strategies used for concluding whether a compound is genotoxic as this can be a very complex evaluation and is best conducted with expert input. However it is hoped that this review provides an insight into the background behind genotoxicity testing, leading to a better understanding of the genotoxicity tests involved, what they can and cannot predict and the underlying processes that lead to the data produced.