Grape drying promote agentia: Food safety assessment of a broad-spectrum use drying agent for dried fruits

Grape drying promote agentia (GDPA) plays a crucial role in raisin production and is widely used. These accelerators primarily consist of alkaline reagents, lipid compounds and other drying agents. They function by undergoing saponification reactions to produce higher fatty acid salts, which disrupt the waxy layer of grape skins, thereby accelerating the dehydration process of grapes. To assess the potential cellular and organ toxicity linked to GDPA consumption, this study conducted the TK gene mutation test and the bacterial reverse mutation assay, confirm that it does not have mutagenic toxicity. Furthermore, we utilized MTT staining to quantify the cellular damage caused by GDPA in human normal liver cells, determining that the half maximal inhibitory concentration exceeds 4 mg/mL. In addition, acute and subacute toxicity tests were conducted on rats, with dosage levels set at a lower limit of 500 mg/kg for acute testing and 250 mg/kg for subacute testing, respectively. In Sprague Dawley rats, a single dose of 5000 mg/kg GDPA or continuous dose of 1500 mg/kg GDPA can cause reversible specific toxic effects on the liver, kidneys, and jejunum. The dietary risk assessment showed that the acute, subacute, and cumulative risk quotients of GDPA in raisins were below 100 %, indicating that this pre-treatment method would not cause unacceptable acute health risks. Our research provides a scientific basis for advocating the judicious use of desiccants, expanding their application to a broader range of agricultural commodities, and helping to establish standardized processing protocols for crops like grapes.