Crotonaldehyde is mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium TA100.

The mutagenicity of crotonaldehyde in Salmonella typhimurium TA100 cannot be demonstrated in the standard plate incorporation assay. However, as reported earlier by our group, this alpha, beta-unsaturated aldehyde is clearly mutagenic in the liquid assay modification of this testing procedure. Carried out because of the doubts recently expressed by Cooper et al. (Environ Mutagen 9:289-295, 1987) concerning the observed mutagenicity of crotonaldehyde in S. typhimurium TA100, this study confirms that this compound is clearly a direct (without activation by mammalian microsomes)-acting mutagen in S. typhimurium TA100 under appropriate conditions in the preincubation assay. The observed mutagenicity is increased by extended preincubation time and increased bacterial cell densities.