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Article

Possible Genotoxic Effects of Post-Harvest Fungicides Applied on Citrus Peels: Imazalil, Pyrimethanil, Thiabendazole and Their Mixtures

by
Boglárka Bernadett Tisza
1,
Luca Járomi
2,*,
Judit Háhn
3,
Bálint Bérczi
2,
Andrea Horváth-Sarródi
2,
Andrea Gubicskóné Kisbenedek
4 and
Gellért Gerencsér
2,5
1
Doctoral School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, 7621 Pécs, Hungary
2
Department of Public Health Medicine, Medical School, University of Pecs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
3
Department of Environmental Safety, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
4
Institute of Nutrition Sciences and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, 7621 Pécs, Hungary
5
Preclinical Research Center, Medical School, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Foods 2025, 14(7), 1264; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14071264
Submission received: 19 February 2025 / Revised: 26 March 2025 / Accepted: 1 April 2025 / Published: 3 April 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk Assessment of Hazardous Pollutants in Foods)
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Abstract

Post-harvest fungicides are frequently used on citrus peels to reduce post-harvest fungal contamination during the storage and transport of products. Despite these positive effects, fungicides can pose health risks to consumers. The aim of our study was to perform a genotoxicological risk assessment of imazalil, pyrimethanil, thiabendazole and their mixtures used as post-harvest treatments. A Salmonella mutagenicity Ames test and comet assay were performed to detect reverse mutation and assess DNA damage. Base-pair, frameshift mutations and metabolic activity were analyzed using the Ames test. In the comet assay, lymphocytes were treated with fungicides for 4 and 24 h. Thiabendazole was found to induce both frameshift and base-pair mutations in the Ames test despite the mutagenicity of both imzalil and pyrimethanil (p < 0.05). DNA-strand breaks were observed in lymphocytes, mainly with dimethyl-sulfoxide solvent fungicides (p < 0.05). The long-term exposure and consumption of fruits and vegetables treated with fungicides can increase the risks of developing genotoxic tumors. Our findings raise new questions about the health risks of fungicides and their mixtures to consumers. Further investigations are essential to explore the genotoxicological effects of fungicides on citrus peels.
Keywords: citrus; peels; fungicides; imazalil; thiabendazole; pyrimethanil; comet assay; DNA fragmentation; mutations citrus; peels; fungicides; imazalil; thiabendazole; pyrimethanil; comet assay; DNA fragmentation; mutations

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MDPI and ACS Style

Tisza, B.B.; Járomi, L.; Háhn, J.; Bérczi, B.; Horváth-Sarródi, A.; Gubicskóné Kisbenedek, A.; Gerencsér, G. Possible Genotoxic Effects of Post-Harvest Fungicides Applied on Citrus Peels: Imazalil, Pyrimethanil, Thiabendazole and Their Mixtures. Foods 2025, 14, 1264. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14071264

AMA Style

Tisza BB, Járomi L, Háhn J, Bérczi B, Horváth-Sarródi A, Gubicskóné Kisbenedek A, Gerencsér G. Possible Genotoxic Effects of Post-Harvest Fungicides Applied on Citrus Peels: Imazalil, Pyrimethanil, Thiabendazole and Their Mixtures. Foods. 2025; 14(7):1264. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14071264

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tisza, Boglárka Bernadett, Luca Járomi, Judit Háhn, Bálint Bérczi, Andrea Horváth-Sarródi, Andrea Gubicskóné Kisbenedek, and Gellért Gerencsér. 2025. "Possible Genotoxic Effects of Post-Harvest Fungicides Applied on Citrus Peels: Imazalil, Pyrimethanil, Thiabendazole and Their Mixtures" Foods 14, no. 7: 1264. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14071264

APA Style

Tisza, B. B., Járomi, L., Háhn, J., Bérczi, B., Horváth-Sarródi, A., Gubicskóné Kisbenedek, A., & Gerencsér, G. (2025). Possible Genotoxic Effects of Post-Harvest Fungicides Applied on Citrus Peels: Imazalil, Pyrimethanil, Thiabendazole and Their Mixtures. Foods, 14(7), 1264. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14071264

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