Eur Food Res Technol (2009) 229:549–559 DOI 10.1007/s00217-009-1089-x 123 REVIEW PAPER Aromatic DNA adducts in relation to dietary and other lifestyle factors in Spanish adults Raquel Ibáñez · Marco Peluso · Armelle Munnia · Sara Piro · Carlos A. González · Pilar Amiano · M. J. Tormo · Eva Ardanaz · Aurelio Barricarte · Antonio Berenguer · M. Dolores Chirlaque · Miren Dorronsoro · Paula Jakszyn · Nerea Larrañaga · Carmen Martínez · Carmen Navarro · J. Ramón Quirós · M. José Sánchez · Antonio Agudo Received: 11 February 2009 / Revised: 28 April 2009 / Accepted: 8 May 2009 / Published online: 30 May 2009  Springer-Verlag 2009 Abstract The aim of this study was to assess the relation- ship between bulky DNA adducts in white blood cells (WBC) and lifestyle factors in a sample from the Spanish cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Can- cer and Nutrition (EPIC). 296 subjects aged between 35 and 64 years, from Wve regions, were included. Food intake was estimated with a computerized version of dietary his- tory questionnaire. Daily intake of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) was estimated using a database with information on food content of potential carcinogens. Data on lifestyle and health factors were collected and DNA adducts measured using the nuclease P1 32 P-postlabelling technique. Geometric means of adducts were similar for men and women (4.11/10 9 and 3.94/10 9 nucleotides, respectively). Highest levels of adduct were observed in non-smokers and non-occupationally exposed. Meat intake, oils and fats were associated with higher levels of adducts, but all non-statistically signiWcant. Higher intakes of cal- cium, sodium and phosphorus were associated with lower adducts levels. Summarising, our study shows that bulky adducts measured by 32 P-postlabelling in DNA from WBC do not correlate with the usual diet of healthy Spanish adults. Although it has been proposed that diet be the main source of PAH in nonsmokers without occupational expo- sure, DNA adducts do not seem to be suitable biomarkers of dietary PAH in general population. Keywords DNA adducts · Food intake · Lifestyle factor · Nutrients · Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons Abbreviations WBC White blood cells EPIC European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition R. Ibáñez (&) Cancer Epidemiology Research Program, Unit of Infections and Cancer, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), IDIBELL, Avd. Gran Vía, KM 2,7 s/n, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08907 Barcelona, Spain e-mail: raquelip@iconcologia.net M. Peluso · A. Munnia · S. Piro Cancer Risk Factors Branch, Molecular Biology Laboratory, CSPO-ScientiWc Institute of Tuscany Region, Florence, Italy C. A. González · A. Berenguer · P. Jakszyn · A. Agudo Cancer Epidemiology Research Program, Unit of Nutrition, Environment and Cancer, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), IDIBELL, Avd. Gran Vía, KM 2,7 s/n, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08907 Barcelona, Spain P. Amiano · M. Dorronsoro · N. Larrañaga Dirección de Salud de Guipúzcoa, CIBERESP, 20013 San Sebastián, Spain M. J. Tormo · M. D. Chirlaque · C. Navarro Consejería de Sanidad y Consumo, CIBERESP, 3008 Murcia, Spain E. Ardanaz · A. Barricarte Instituto de Salud Pública de Navarra, CIBERESP, 31003 Pamplona, Spain C. Martínez · M. J. Sánchez Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública, CIBERESP, 18080 Granada, Spain J. R. Quirós Consejería de Sanidad y Servicios Sociales de Asturias, 33001 Oviedo, Spain