Abstract: As the most dangerous type of DNA damage, DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) are a potential factor causing human genome instability and promoting the occurrence of genetic diseases. In many studies, it has been found that many food ingredients can inhibit the formation of DSBs or promote DNA damage repair. This paper mainly summarizes the food ingredients reported in the recent 20 years that have a regulatory function on DSBs. The mechanism of food ingredients in alleviating DSBs in human intestinal cells is expounded from three aspects: antioxidant effect, regulation of DNA damage repair and simultaneous action of both functions. The influence of different intakes and ingestion times of food components on the protective effect on DSBs is discussed as well. The possible protective effect of other potential food components on DSBs is proposed, aiming to provide a theoretical reference for the development of new types of foods that can alleviate DSBs.

Key words: DNA double strand breaks; intestinal cells; food components; protective mechanism