Hemoglobin adducts of acrylamide in human blood – what has been done and what is next?

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Acrylamide is found in many commonly consumed foods. Dietary exposure is of concern and food is being monitored worldwide as acrylamide is neurotoxic, crosses the placenta, restricts intrauterine growth and increases the risk of certain cancers and obesity. In animals, acrylamide causes heritable mutations, tumors, developmental, reproductive, and neurotoxicity. The impact on human health of dietary exposure to acrylamide remains poorly understood and it is impossible to say what level can be deemed safe as the assessment of acrylamide from diet is uncertain. We aim to summarize the internal dose of acrylamide in humans measured through quantification of hemoglobin (Hb) N-terminal valine adduct levels from acrylamide using mass spectrometric methods METHODS: We performed a search up to February 2020 and included peer-reviewed articles and reports in English. Data were extracted and mean Hb adduct levels by smoking status and country of origin were calculated. RESULTS:Methods and results from a total of 75 studies of 31,202 individuals from 15 countries were reviewed. Adduct levels were highest in occupational exposed individuals and three-fold higher in smokers as compared to non-smokers. Adducts ranged from 3 to 210 pmol/g Hb in non-smokers and this wide range suggests that dietary exposure to acrylamide varies largely. Relative to smoking, the correlation between estimated dietary intake of acrylamide and Hb adducts was weak and the validity of the methods used for assessment of dietary intake vary. Non-smokers from the USA and Canada had higher levels as compared with non-smokers from Europe and Asia. Within Europe, individuals from UK had the highest levels. CONCLUSIONS:Large studies starting with early-life exposures using validated high-throughput analyses of adducts from acrylamide and other heat-generated compounds, together with comprehensive assessment of diet, smoking and socio-economic factors, would improve evaluation of the effects of dietary acrylamide on health. KEYWORDS: Biomarkers of exposure, Food, Internal exposome