Chapter 13 - Processing issues: acrylamide, furan, and trans fatty acids

Abstract

Processed foods have become a way of life in the modern world. Processing allows for a more consistent and global supply of foods and increases consumer convenience. Although processing generally improves the quality and safety of foods, it can decrease nutrient levels and bioavailability and produce chemical and physical changes that result in the formation of chemical hazards. Process-induced toxic compounds such as acrylamide, furan, and trans fatty acids (TFAs) have gained wide-spread attention due to their presence in a wide variety of foods. The precursors and mechanisms of formation for these compounds are different. Acrylamide and furan are formed during thermal processing of carbohydrate-rich foods, while TFAs are predominately produced when oils are hydrogenated to improve their oxidative stability or to change their texture. This chapter summarizes the worldwide efforts aimed at understanding the factors that result in the production of acrylamide, furan, and TFAs in processed foods. A more thorough understanding of these factors may result in strategies for minimizing their formation.