natural carcinogen
natural carcinogen
A substance normally present in foods that is carcinogenic when tested by mutagenic assays in rodents or bacteria (e.g., Ames’ test).It is unclear whether the 14 ppm of 5-8-methoxypsoralen present in parsley and parsnips, which is carcinogenic to rodents, or the 50–200 ppm of caffeic acid, present in apples, carrots, cherries and others, actually have a carcinogenic potential in humans.