Abstract
The present study aims to determine the carcinogenic and neurotoxic risks associated with acrylamide intake from cereal products. Analysis on a UPLC–MS/MS spectrometer revealed that oat-based and mixed cereals contain the highest amount of acrylamide among cereal products with levels as high as 271 and 348 μg/kg, respectively. Children were shown to exhibit both carcinogenic and neurotoxic risks regardless of the type of cereal product consumed. For adults above 50 years of age, only consumers of oat-based cereal products seem to exhibit carcinogenic and neurotoxic risks. To avoid a carcinogenic and neurotoxic risk among the Lebanese population, we propose that food processors set the maximum tolerable concentration for acrylamide in cereal products at 94.8 μg/kg product, a value which is threefolds lower than the average acrylamide levels found in this study. Alternatively, and unreasonably, the average Lebanese population and children among the Lebanese population may choose to cut down on cereal consumption by 1.7- and 7.2-folds respectively, should they want to avoid a health hazard as a result of acrylamide intake. The industry should also respond by optimizing the production process in a way to reduce acrylamide levels in cereals.
Highlights
A diet that is based on highly processed food may provide nutrients, yet it will provide many other compounds that are formed during the processing and storage of such foods [1]
Should the WHO adopt these significantly lowered proposed values, the industry will have to respond by optimizing their production process in a way to reduce and manage acrylamide levels in the production of cereal products
The results of this study show that oat-based and mixed cereals contain the largest amount of acrylamide among cereal products with levels as high as 271 and 348 μg/kg respectively
Summary
A diet that is based on highly processed food may provide nutrients, yet it will provide many other compounds that are formed during the processing and storage of such foods [1]. Standard industrial procedures are usually followed to minimize the formation of contaminants as byproducts. Processing contaminants are undesirable either because they have an adverse effect on product quality or because they are potentially harmful [2]. Since the mid twentieth century, Acrylamide, a processing contaminant formed during the cooking or high temperature processing of mainly plant derived foods and present in popular food, is on the most pressing problems facing the food industry [3, 4]. Acrylamide is a difunctional monomer [5] and is used as a chemical for the production of polyacrylamide
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