Antimutagenicity of yogurt

Yogurt is milk fermented by a mixture of two bacteria: Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus salivarius ssp. thermophilus. Epidemiological studies have correlated a reduced risk for colon cancer with yogurt consumption. Independent studies have established that yogurt and extracts thereof are antimutagenic. Although multiple explanations can account for yogurt's putative anticarcinogenicity, we are interested in testing the hypothesis that antimutagenic compounds produced during fermentation are responsible. We recently reported on the antimutagenicity of an acetone extract of yogurt against the experimental carcinogens N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and 3,2'-dimethyl-4-aminobiphenyl (DMAB) (Mutation Res. (1995) 334, 213-224). We are now aware that palmitic acid is an active ingredient against MNNG.