Estrogenic Activity Evaluation of Canned Beans by Combined Bioassay and Analytical Methods Publisher



Akbari N ; Rostami S ; Ghazikhansari M ; Khaniki GJ ; Shariatifar N ; Sadighara P
Source: Results in Chemistry Published:2026

Abstract

In this study, xenoestrogens or estrogenic compounds were evaluated in canned beans. For this purpose, the estrogenic activity of canned beans was evaluated using bioassay and advanced analytical tests. After ensuring the safety and quality of canned beans, the samples were extracted with solvents. High performance liquid chromatography, quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-Q-TOF-MS) were performed to identify compounds and bioassay tests with the prepared extracts. The extracts were placed in the vicinity of human MCF-7 cells. These cells have estrogen receptors. An E -screen test was done, and cells increased compared to the positive control group (17β-estradiol). A reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) test was also performed to evaluate the level of binding to estrogen receptors, and finally, the compounds in the extract were identified with HPLC-Q-TOF-MS. The MCF-7 proliferation rate ranged from 47 to 71%, confirming moderate estrogenic activity. RT-qPCR revealed higher ERβ expression (3.2-fold) than ERα (2.6-fold). HPLC-QTOF-MS identified phytoestrogens (genistein, daidzein, equol, coumestrol, biochanin A) and bisphenol A as major contributors. The combined bioassay-analytical methods provides a reliable results for detecting endocrine active substances in food products. © 2026 The Authors.