To assess the effect of dietary sucrose on liver cytochrome P450 1A content and activity, male F344 rat weanlings were randomized into two diet groups for a period of 90 days. One group was fed a diet containing 65% of total calories from sucrose (HSD) while the other was fed standard lab chow (0% sucrose). Microsomal fractions from each of 10 animals in each group were used in Western immunoblot, mutagenesis and 7-alkoxyresorufin-0-deethylase (AROD) assays. No statistically significant difference in the mean quantity of liver CYP 1A2 was detected by Western blot analysis, while a significant decrease in mean liver CYP 1A1 was observed in the rats fed the HSD. Liver microsomal-dependent mutagenesis of two heterocyclic amines (HCAs), 2-amino-3,8-dimethyl-imadazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) and 2-amino-3-methyl-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), in Salminella typhimurium TA98 was decreased in animals on the HSD compared to those on the control diet by 33% (p < 0.001) and 25% (p < 0.001), respectively. In addition, rats on the HSD had significantly decreased ethoxyresorufin-0-deethylase (EROD) and methoxyresorufin-0-deethylase (MROD) activity over a range of substrate concentrations. These results show that a HSD alters hepatic CYP 1A content and activity and suggests that the metabolism of substrates for this P450 subfamily may be significantly altered.