Sulphur dioxide in apricot drink and mouse cell changes
What it found
In mice, a drink made from dried apricot leather containing sulphur dioxide raised chromosome damage and sperm abnormalities and changed testis tissue.
The authors say people should not drink too much of it.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Chromosome damage
Mice that drank the cold or boiled apricot drink had significantly more chromosomal aberrations than the control groups.
Sperm abnormalities
Sperm abnormalities were significantly higher in mice given either drink preparation.
Cell division
The mitotic index dropped significantly compared with both the negative and positive controls.
Testis tissue
Examination of the testis showed different degrees of tissue changes.
Cause of changes
The authors suggest the sulphur dioxide in the apricot leather might be responsible for these changes.
What the authors conclude
“Furthermore, consumers could be advised to prevent excessive consumption of the drink (Qamar Al-Deen) prepared from dried apricot leather.”
Also in their conclusions
- They suggest that the presence of SO2 inside the apricot leather might be responsible for these changes.
- They say these hazardous effects in male albino mice could be used as a guide to predict the impact on human health.
- They advise consumers to prevent excessive consumption of the drink Qamar Al-Deen prepared from dried apricot leather.
How it was done
Sulphur dioxide is used in food to stop it changing colour and to stop bacteria growing. The authors say little is known about its harmful effects in living animals.
Adult mice were split into 4 groups. Two groups drank Qamar Al-Deen, a drink made from dried apricot leather, for 28 days, one as a cold drink and one as a boiled drink. A third group got distilled water and a fourth got cyclophosphamide.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- These are mouse studies. They can't show what happens in people.
- The study used one drink made from dried apricot leather, so it can't show what happens with other foods containing sulphur dioxide.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Alexandria University, Egypt; Pharos University, Egypt
The paper
- Title
- Cytogenetic and testicular histological alterations induced by sulphur dioxide in dried apricot leather
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Zaki EI, El-Mahdy AR, El-Gamal HM, El-Seedy AS (2021). Cytogenetic and testicular histological alterations induced by sulphur dioxide in dried apricot leather. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France). doi:10.14715/cmb/2021.67.2.10PubMed 34817337DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error