Sulfites and metabisulfites, nitrates and nitrites are among the most utilized food additives. They can determine
negative reactions in human body, but some of them showed genotoxic and carcinogenic action in various test-systems. In
this study, we analyzed the amplitude of the cytogenetic changes induced by the exposure to different concentrations
(0.1%, 0.5%, and 1.0%) of sodium nitrate (E251; SN) and sodium metabisulfite (E223; SMB) in wheat root tips
meristems, by scoring the mitotic index and the frequency of division phases, the rates of ana-telophase chromosome
aberrations, and of metaphase disturbances. Also, the influence on plantlet length was analyzed in young plantlets. The
two chemicals increased the amount of chromosome aberrations, depending on concentration and time exposure