A Company Has Invented a New Low-Calorie Sugar Substitute and Wants

Essay

A company has invented a new low-calorie sugar substitute and wants to determine if the substitute might be carcinogenic, so researchers use it in the Ames test. The results show no increase in mutant bacterial colonies. They then perform feeding experiments in laboratory rats and find a significant increase in the incidence of cancer. Offer an explanation for why the Ames test did not accurately predict the carcinogenic potential of the sugar substitute and suggest a solution to the problem.