Abstract
Acrylamide is a carcinogen that forms in foods processed at high temperatures. In this study, acrylamide contents of 30 local snacks commonly consumed by the three ethnic groups (Malay, Chinese, and Indian) in Singapore were analysed by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). These snacks were chosen because they were consumed regularly by people of different classes and age groups in Singapore. Our results showed that the average content of acrylamide in Indian snacks (102.23 ng/g) was higher than those in Malay (75.14 ng/g) and Chinese snacks (70.78 ng/g). The high acrylamide levels in several snacks was probably due to the processing methods and the usage of acrylamide-inducing raw materials. Same snacks prepared by different manufacturers contained different levels of acrylamide, suggesting the possibility of acrylamide reduction in these snacks. This study provides an insight into the acrylamide levels of snacks commonly consumed by the three different ethnic groups in Singapore.
Highlights
Acrylamide is a chemical compound that has existed for as long as humans have started to utilize heat to cook food
Acrylamide contents of 30 snacks which are commonly consumed by three ethnic groups, i.e., Malay, Chinese, and Indian, in Singapore were analysed
Same snacks prepared by different manufacturers contained different acrylamide levels [41]
Summary
Acrylamide is a chemical compound that has existed for as long as humans have started to utilize heat to cook food. Acrylamide is usually found in carbohydrate-rich foods, such as biscuits, potato chips, and French fries, dry heated at temperatures above 120◦C [3,4,5]. It has been reported that fried potato, a common snack consumed in China, contained a maximum acrylamide level of 4,126.26 μg/kg [6]. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) are two common methods for acrylamide analysis [7, 8]. LC-MS acrylamide analysis methods are usually carried out using a triple quadrapole mass spectrometer and applying electrospray ionization (ESI) [3]. Many factors, including the starch-containing ingredients, cooking times, cooking temperature, and even the type of leavening agent, have been reported to affect the amount of acrylamide in a given food. Many studies have been conducted to investigate the mechanism of formation of acrylamide and ways to reduce acrylamide in food [1,2,3, 9]
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