The effect of glucose on the formation of the food mutagen PhIP (2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine) was studied in a model system. When a mixture of creatine (0.9 mmol), phenylalanine (0.9 mmol) and glucose (0.45 mmol) was heated in diethylene glycol and water (3 ml, 5:1) for 10 min at 180 or 225 degrees C several mutagens were produced. Identification by HPLC, UV absorption spectroscopy and mass spectrometry revealed the presence of PhIP as well as 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline and minor amounts of 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline. Heating the system without glucose produced PhIP as a single mutagen, but in considerably lower amount. An inhibiting effect of glucose in high concentrations was demonstrated. When glucose was added in more than or equimolar amounts of the other two reactants, the formation of mutagens was markedly reduced. Tyrosine heated under the same conditions, with creatine and glucose, showed mutagenic activity. However, no PhIP nor any other known food mutagen was identified from the tyrosine mixture.