Summary. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated a direct relationship between food quality, dietary habits, and the potential risk of developing oncopathology.

The aim of the work was to analyze the risks associated with chemical substances and food products with proven carcinogenicity for humans, and to identify preventive ways to minimize their effects.

Materials and methods: information search, content analysis, method of theoretical analysis and generalization of scientific information.

Results. Considering that nutrition plays a very important role in sustaining human life, up to 70 % of carcinogens enter the body with food, whereas only 30 % come from air and drinking water. During production, storage, and transportation, food products are increasingly contaminated with substances of chemical and biological origin that either directly exert carcinogenic effects on the body when consumed or are capable of exhibiting such effects under certain conditions. The most dangerous technological processes that are accompanied by the formation and accumulation of carcinogenic substances are smoking and high-temperature frying. Carcinogenic mycotoxins (metabolic products of mold fungi) enter food products as a result of mold parasitism on cereals, legumes, and nuts. Mycotoxins are extremely stable and are not destroyed by heating or culinary processing. Food packaging may also be a source of carcinogenic substances in food products.

Conclusions. Substances of chemical and biological origin with proven carcinogenicity to humans via the alimentary route of exposure were analyzed. The need to increase the overall level of public awareness regarding the role of nutrition as a risk factor in the development of oncological diseases was established. It was demonstrated that an effective preventive measure is the strengthening of supervision and control over technologies for the cultivation, processing, and storage of food products, as well as over the use of food additives and production technologies in the food industry.

Keywords: food products, chemicals, mycotoxins, carcinogenicity, risk

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