Acrylamide In Foods Research Articles

Acrylamide and Thermal-Processing Indexes in Market-Purchased Food.

Determining acrylamide (AA) content in foods using chromatographic methods is expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, there is a need to develop a simple, economical method for monitoring the content of acrylamide in foods. This study analysed whether there is a relationship between acrylamide levels with some heat-induced parameters, such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and browning, in order to assess their usefulness in predicting the potential acrylamide levels in market-purchased food. Sixty plant-based food products were tested. The correlation coefficients for AA levels with L*, a* and b* values and HMF content were significant (p < 0.05) for French fries and potato chips. There was no statistically significant correlation between thermal-processing indexes (HMF and colour parameters) and acrylamide levels in commercial bread, breakfast cereals and biscuits. The results indicate that these classical thermal-processing indexes are not directly related to the acrylamide content in commercial cereal-based food and they cannot be indicators of AA level. Thus, the correlation between HMF and colour parameters with acrylamide content depends on the type of food and it is difficult to estimate the amount of AA based on these classical thermal-processing indexes of market-purchased food.

Effect of buckwheat extracts on acrylamide formation and the quality of bread.

The presence of acrylamide in food has attracted wide attention and has raised concerns due to its potential toxic and carcinogenic effects. The phenolic compounds in buckwheat display strong antioxidant activity, which may affect the acrylamide levels. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of buckwheat extracts on acrylamide formation and the quality of the bread, and to investigate possible inhibitory mechanisms. The extracts from Tartary buckwheat seeds, Tartary buckwheat sprouts, common buckwheat seeds, and common buckwheat sprouts reduced acrylamide level in bread by 23.5, 27.3, 17.0, and 16.7%, respectively. In addition, all four buckwheat extracts significantly (P < 0.05) reduced acrylamide levels in the asparagine / glucose system. There were significant positive correlations between total phenolic compound content, the antioxidant activity of the extracts, and the reduction in the acrylamide level. Evaluation of the organoleptic and textural properties indicated that the addition of the extracts did not significantly affect the crust color, aroma, taste, crumb appearance, and hardness of the bread. This study showed that proper use of buckwheat extracts can reduce acrylamide levels in bread without having a significant impact on their properties. The study also revealed that a possible acrylamide formation inhibitory mechanism involved the Maillard reaction through the asparagine / glucose pathway. The study also provided useful information for the further application of buckwheat in improving food safety. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Acrylamide in food: Progress in and prospects for genetic and agronomic solutions.

Acrylamide is a processing contaminant and Group 2a carcinogen that was discovered in foodstuffs in 2002. Its presence in a range of popular foods has become one of the most difficult problems facing the food industry and its supply chain. Wheat, rye and potato products are major sources of dietary acrylamide, with biscuits, breakfast cereals, bread (particularly toasted), crispbread, batter, cakes, pies, French fries, crisps and snack products all affected. Here we briefly review the history of the issue, detection methods, the levels of acrylamide in popular foods and the risk that dietary acrylamide poses to human health. The pathways for acrylamide formation from free (non‐protein) asparagine are described, including the role of reducing sugars such as glucose, fructose and maltose and the Maillard reaction. The evolving regulatory situation in the European Union and elsewhere is discussed, noting that food businesses and their suppliers must plan to comply not only with current regulations but with possible future regulatory scenarios. The main focus of the review is on the genetic and agronomic approaches being developed to reduce the acrylamide‐forming potential of potatoes and cereals and these are described in detail, including variety selection, plant breeding, biotechnology and crop management. Obvious targets for genetic interventions include asparagine synthetase genes, and the asparagine synthetase gene families of different crop species are compared. Current knowledge on crop management best practice is described, including maintaining optimum storage conditions for potatoes and ensuring sulphur sufficiency and disease control for wheat.

Acrylamide Induced Toxicity and the Propensity of Phytochemicals in Amelioration: A Review.

Acrylamide is widely found in baked and fried foods, produced in large amount in industries and is a prime component in toxicity. This review highlights various toxicities that are induced due to acrylamide, its proposed mode of action including oxidative stress cascades and ameliorative mechanisms using phytochemicals. Acrylamide formation, the mechanism of toxicity and the studies on the role of oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunctions are elaborated in this paper. The various types of toxicities caused by Acrylamide and the modulation studies using phytochemicals that are carried out on various type of toxicity like neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, immune system, and skeletal system, as well as embryos have been explored. Lacunae of studies include the need to explore methods for reducing the formation of acrylamide in food while cooking and also better modulators for alleviating the toxicity and associated dysfunctions along with identifying its molecular mechanisms.

Acrylamide levels and dietary exposure from foods in the United States, an update based on 2011-2015 data

ABSTRACTAcrylamide is a contaminant that can form in certain plant-based foods during high-temperature cooking. From 2011–2015, the Food and Drug Administration conducted extensive sampling and analyses of acrylamide in foods, as a follow-up to surveys from 2002–2006. We compared acrylamide occurrence data and exposure estimates based on 2011–2015 data with data and exposure estimates from 2002–2006. Acrylamide levels in selected food categories generally did not decrease significantly in 2011–2015 compared with 2002–2006. However, significant decreases in acrylamide concentrations were observed for potato chips and crackers, which may be related to the availability and use of mitigation techniques for reducing acrylamide in foods. Mean dietary intake for those 2 years and older based on 2011–2015 data was 0.36 µg/kg bw/day, comparable to the 0.44 µg/kg bw/day reported by FDA in 2006. French fries and potato products, breakfast cereal, cookies, potato chips, and crackers continue to be the greatest contributors to dietary intake of acrylamide. Infant snack foods were identified as an important contributor to acrylamide intake relative to infant jarred foods. The continued presence of acrylamide in food suggests that manufacturers and governments should continue to pursue efforts to reduce acrylamide in foods that are important contributors to acrylamide intake.

Important factors to consider for acrylamide mitigation in potato crisps using pulsed electric fields

Abstract This preliminary study aimed to compare the application of pulsed electric field (PEF) with a traditional blanching as pre-treatments before frying for the mitigation of acrylamide content in potato crisps. Measuring the degree of cell disintegration index (po) and the changes in water electrical conductivity during washing of potato slices, PEF protocol and sample preparation scheme were optimized. Peeled potato slices (thickness 1.5 ± 0.2 mm) were subjected to PEF (1.5 kV/cm, pulse duration 10 μs, total treatment time 10 ms, pulse frequency 100 Hz) and to blanching (85 °C for 3.5 min) pre-treatments and then to washing in water, evaluating the reduction of acrylamide precursors (reducing sugars and free asparagine). After frying (175 °C, 3 min), product quality, in terms of colour, texture and acrylamide content were evaluated. Results showed that PEF promoted acrylamide precursors leaching followed by a reduction of the final acrylamide content of around 30%, significantly higher if compared to the reduction obtained with blanching, with only slight modifications of the final quality of the product, in terms of colour and texture. Industrial relevance The Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/2158 of 20 November 2017 has introduced new benchmark levels and mitigation strategies for the reduction of the presence of acrylamide in foods, directing food businesses to the research of measures to lower the acrylamide formation in foods. The actual industrial production process of fried potato crisps involves the use of many mitigation strategies, such as a blanching of raw potatoes. However, the traditional blanching treatment presents several practical drawbacks and leads to undesirable changes of the product quality. The application of PEF as a pre-treatment could reduce the acrylamide content in deep-fat fried potato crisps. This preliminary study gives important indications regarding the possibility of combining a PEF pre-treatment on raw potato slices with subsequent industrial processing steps for the production of potato crisps with low acrylamide concentration.

Protective Role of Natural Antioxidants Against the Formation and Harmful Effects of Acrylamide in Food

Protective Role of Natural Antioxidants Against the Formation and Harmful Effects of Acrylamide in Food

Colorimetric and visual determination of acrylamide via acrylamide-mediated polymerization of acrylamide-functionalized gold nanoparticles.

A colorimetric assay is described for acrylamide (AA). It is based on color changes induced by an increase in the distance between gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) that is caused by AA copolymerization. First, AuNPs were modified with a thiolated propylene amide poly(ethylene glycol) that also contains the AA functionality. The carbon-carbon double bonds on the modified AuNPs can be polymerized under the catalysis of a photoinitiator and under UV irradiation. This results in the aggregation of the AuNPs and in a color change from red to gray. In the presence of AA, the distance between the AuNPs increases due to copolymerization with AA, and the solution of AuNPs preserves its original red color. Under optimized conditions, the absorption ratio (A525/A740) of the solution increases linearly in the 1nM to 10μM free AA concentration range, with a 0.2nM limit of detection. Hence, the method meets the need for rapid monitoring of trace AA in food. The method has a relative error (RSD) that is lower compared to the accepted HPLC method. Graphical abstract Schematic of a novel colorimetric strategy for acrylamide (AA) detection based on the increase of distance between gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) caused by AA participated polymerization.

Gene cloning and expression of the l-asparaginase from Bacillus cereus BDRD-ST26 in Bacillus subtilis WB600

l-Asparaginase (ASN; EC 3.5.1.1) shows great commercial value because of its ability to reduce toxic levels of acrylamide in foods. To achieve high-efficiency production of l-asparaginase, an open reading frame of 978 bp encoding asparaginase (BcA) was amplified from Bacillus cereus BDRD-ST26, followed by its expression in Bacillus subtilis WB600, with the highest yield of 374.9 U/ml obtained using an amyE-signal peptide. A four-step purification protocol was used to purify BcA, resulting in a 15.1-fold increase in purification yield, with a specific activity of purified BcA at 550.8 U/mg and accompanied by detection of minimal l-glutaminase activity. Maximum BcA activity was detected at 50°C and pH 9.0 in 20mM Tris-HCl buffer, with a half-life at 50°C of 17.35min and a Km and kcat of 9.38mM and 63.6s-1, respectively. Compared with untreated potato strips, 72% acrylamide (2.35mg/kg) was removed from potato strips pretreated with BcA. These results indicated that this novel BcA variant represents a potential candidate for application in the food-processing industry.

Determination of acrylamide in food using a UPLC–MS/MS method: results of the official control and dietary exposure assessment in Cyprus

ABSTRACTThe determination of acrylamide in potato products, bakery products and coffee, and the human dietary exposure is reported. The method reported is based on a single extraction step with water, followed by the clean-up of the extract using solid phase extraction columns and finally, the determination of acrylamide using UPLC–MS/MS. The MS/MS detection was carried out using an ESI interface in positive ion mode. Internal calibration was used for the quantification of acrylamide, because of the suppression/enhancement matrix effects due to the complex nature of the samples. The method performance characteristics were determined after spiking blank samples. The mean recoveries in spiked coffee samples, potato chips, breakfast cereals and crispbread ranged from 93% to 99%, with RSDs lower than 5% for both repeatability and reproducibility conditions. The estimated limits of detection and quantification of the method were 10 and 32 μg kg−1, respectively. The method was used for monitoring acrylamide in 406 samples. Acrylamide amounts ranged from <32 to 2450 μg kg−1. A total of 360 samples (89%) were contaminated with acrylamide, but only 14% of the samples exceeded the benchmark levels of the EU legislation. Foods with the highest mean acrylamide amounts were potato crisps (642 μg kg−1), French fries (383 μg kg−1) and biscuits (353 μg kg−1). The mean and 95th percentile acrylamide exposures of adolescents in Cyprus were 0.8 and 1.8 μg kg−1 body weight per day, respectively. The estimated levels of dietary exposure to acrylamide are not of concern with respect to neurotoxicity. However, the margins of exposure (MOEs) indicate a concern for carcinogenicity. Potato fried products (45%), fine bakery ware (21%) and potato chips (14%) contributed the most to overall acrylamide exposure.

Ultrasound as a pretreatment to reduce acrylamide formation in fried potatoes

Abstract Acrylamide is a compound that is potentially carcinogenic for human. This means that levels of acrylamide in foods should be reduced to a maximum. The acrylamide molecule is present in foods subjected to processes at temperatures above 120 °C, and it is formed through the reaction that takes place between asparagine and reducing sugars in the Maillard reaction. Fried potatoes are one of the main sources of acrylamide. In order to provide healthier food, this investigation proposes to apply high intensity ultrasound (US) as a frying pretreatment in water for 30 min, in order to reduce the acrylamide content of fried potatoes. Different US treatments were studied at distinct frequencies (35 and 130 kHz), ultrasonic power densities (0, 9.5, 47.6 and 95.2 W/kg), and water temperatures (30 and 42 °C). To evaluate the effects caused by ultrasonic cavitation, the increment of weight and moisture, the decrease in reducing sugars and the electrical conductivity of water in different treatments were evaluated. After frying, colorimetric analyses (L*, a* y b*) were carried out to ascertain the indirect formation of acrylamide in potatoes. At the temperature of 42 °C, the weight gain was greater as the ultrasonic power used in both frequencies was lower. Increments in US power densities decreased the potatoes' moisture gain and increased the electrical conductivity of soaking water. A treatment of 35 kHz and 92.5 W/kg at 42 °C provided an additional extraction of 31% of the reducing sugars over that of control samples. The colorimetric parameters L * and a * decreased and increased, respectively, with the frying time for the treatment at 35 kHz/92.5 W/kg/42 °C, which are a consequence of the reduction of reducing sugars by ultrasound. Thanks to the application of this treatment, 90% acrylamide content reduction was determined compared to potatoes fried directly, and up to 50% reduction with respect to control samples only soaked in water (42 °C/30 min). This investigation has demonstrated that US pretreatments can serve as a valid strategy to reduce the acrylamide content of fried potatoes.

Determination of acrylamide content in processed starchy foods in Hanoi

Acrylamide is a toxic chemical formed in high temperature-processed foods (e.g., Potato snacks, instant noodle, etc.). Previous studied showed that acrylamide is a carcinogenic&amp;nbsp;agent in human and animals. Evaluation of acrylamide contents in some processed starchy&amp;nbsp;foods has been performed in order to investigate the presence of acrylamide in foods in&amp;nbsp;Hanoi. This study is to validate a LC-MS/MS method for determination of acrylamide in&amp;nbsp;food and to determine the acrylamide content in some processed starchy foods available in&amp;nbsp;Hanoi, Vietnam. Samples of potato chips collected from food shops in Hanoi were tested.&amp;nbsp;The acrylamide content was determined by high performance liquid chromatography-mass&amp;nbsp;spectrometry. The method was validated for accuracy, precision, linearity, and recovery.&amp;nbsp;The assay was linear over the entire range of calibration standards i.e., a concentration&amp;nbsp;range from 1 ng/mL to 2500 ng/mL (r2 &amp;gt;0.996). The precision and recoveries were obtained&amp;nbsp;based on the AOAC guidelines. The lower limit of quantification of the analytical method&amp;nbsp;of acrylamide was 24,82 ng/mL. The validated method was successfully applied to determine acrylamide in 28 samples of potato snacks. The content of acrylamide ranged from&amp;nbsp;58.0 to 1829.6 mg/kg. Acrylamide was detected in all samples, nevertheless, the acrylamide&amp;nbsp;content was lower than that from other studies published in 2009 in Europe. &amp;nbsp;

Estimation of long-term dietary exposure to acrylamide of the Japanese people

ABSTRACTAcrylamide is a probable human carcinogen and known human neurotoxin. This study estimated hypothetical long-term dietary exposure to acrylamide of the Japanese people using probabilistic and deterministic approaches by combining the concentration of acrylamide in foods with the amount and frequency of food consumption in the population. Data included acrylamide concentrations in more than 2400 individual food samples from a national survey and the literature from 2004 to 2013. Food consumption amounts were derived from the data of 24,293 Japanese citizens aged 1 year and older in the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey. Median lifetime average dietary exposure to acrylamide was estimated as 147–154 ng/kg body weight (bw)/day (95th percentile, 226–261 ng/kg bw/day). The deterministic estimate of lifetime exposure was 158 ng/kg bw/day and ranged from 119 ng/kg bw/day for the period of life after 60 years old to 409 ng/kg bw/day for the period between 1 and 6 years old. This study found that vegetables cooked at a high temperature, coffee and cooked potato were the major food groups contributing to long-term dietary acrylamide exposure of the Japanese people.

The ameliorative effects of boron against acrylamide-induced oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and metabolic changes in rats

Acrylamide (ACR) is a hazardous substance associated with the accumulation of excessive reactive oxygen species and causes oxidative stress. Presence of ACR in foods leads to public health concerns due to its known neurotoxic, genotoxic, and carcinogenic effects. The present study investigated the ameliorative effects of boron (B) against ACR exposed rats. Forty Wistar albino male rats, fed with low-boron diet, were randomly and equally allocated into 5 groups. The control group was orally treated with physiological saline as placebo, the second group was orally given 15 mg/kg ACR. The other groups were orally treated with 15 mg/kg ACR and B at the levels of 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg/day for 60 days, respectively. ACR-treatment significantly increased malondialdehyde levels whereas decreased glutathione levels in rat tissues. Also, ACR-treatment increased the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in erythrocytes and tissues. Meanwhile, mRNA expression levels of NFĸB, IFN-γ, IL-1β, and TNF-α in liver and brain of rats were increased under ACR treatment. Additionally, ACR caused a significant decrease in the level of high-density lipoprotein, with increase in the levels of low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, cholesterol, glucose, urea nitrogen, and creatinine. Lastly, B alleviated histopathological alterations induced by ACR in rat tissues.

Progress and Successes of the Specialty Crop Research Initiative on Acrylamide Reduction in Processed Potato Products

Acrylamide, a suspected human carcinogen, is a Maillard reaction product that forms when carbohydrate-rich foods are cooked at high temperatures. Processed potato products, including French fries and potato chips, make a substantial contribution to total dietary acrylamide. Health safety concerns raised by acrylamide in food increased financial risks to the potato industry and encouraged industry to take a proactive approach toward acrylamide mitigation. The USDA National Institutes of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) on acrylamide reduction in potato was a cooperative endeavor in which industry partners worked at a systems level with university and government researchers to develop acrylamide mitigation strategies. Short-term goals focused on identifying advanced breeding clones and recently released varieties that have lower acrylamide-forming potential than standard potato varieties. Research was also directed at developing more efficient potato breeding methods, including marker-assisted breeding, genome wide selection, and improved phenotyping methods. Data from the National Fry Processing Trial (NFPT) and SCRI agronomic trial have shown that dramatic reductions in acrylamide are achievable through the use of new varieties that maintain low concentrations of tuber reducing sugars. Chipping potato trials coordinated by Potatoes USA and data from breeding populations suggest that maintaining low tuber reducing sugars through extended storage and lowering tuber asparagine content are options for decreasing acrylamide content in potato chips. To have an impact, new varieties must have exceptional agronomic performance and must produce finished products that meet requirements for consumer attributes including color, texture and taste. Data consistently show that this is more easily achievable in chipping potatoes than in fry processing potatoes.

Formation, Properties, and Reduction Methods of Acrylamide in Foods: A Review Study

Introduction: Acrylamide is a chemical compound that may form in various starchy foods, such as potatoes, bread, and bakery products at high temperatures (above 120°C) and during cooking processes. This compound has been identified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a potential cancer-causing compound. The present study aimed to investigate the formation of acrylamide from food components during heat treatment as a result of the Maillard reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted via searching in databases such as Google Scholar, Science Direct, Pub Med, and SID using English or Persian keywords, such as acrylamide and food. Results: Since acrylamide is found in food products, there have been several reports on the presence of acrylamide in fried and oven-cooked foods, which have led to worldwide concern. Acrylamide has been classified as a possible mutagenic and carcinogenic compound in humans. Moreover, several reports have indicated that asparagine (a main amino acid found in potatoes and cereals) is a decisive contributor to the production of acrylamide through reducing sugars. In this review, we investigated the formation of acrylamide and various methods for its prevention and reduction. Conclusion: Considering the toxicity of acrylamide and its health risks for humans, and given the importance of food safety and health issues, a few methods could be used to decrease the formation rate of this harmful compound in susceptible food products.

Editorial and News

Editorial and News

Dietary Acrylamide and the Risks of Developing Cancer: Facts to Ponder.

Acrylamide (AA) is a water soluble white crystalline solid commonly used in industries. It was listed as an industrial chemical with potential carcinogenic properties. However to date, AA was used to produce polyacrylamide polymer, which was widely used as a coagulant in water treatment; additives during papermaking; grouting material for dams, tunnels, and other underground building constructions. AA in food could be formed during high-temperature cooking via several mechanisms, i.e., formation via acrylic acid which may be derived from the degradation of lipid, carbohydrates, or free amino acids; formation via the dehydration/decarboxylation of organic acids (malic acid, lactic acid, and citric acid); and direct formation from amino acids. The big debate is whether this compound is toxic to human beings or not. In the present review, we discuss the formation of AA in food products, its consumption, and possible link to the development of any cancers. We discuss the body enzymatic influence on AA and mechanism of action of AA on hormone, calcium signaling pathways, and cytoskeletal filaments. We also highlight the deleterious effects of AA on nervous system, reproductive system, immune system, and the liver. The present and future mitigation strategies are also discussed. The present review on AA may be beneficial for researchers, food industry, and also medical personnel.

Health Risk Assessment of Acrylamide in Deep Fried Starchy Foods among Students of Kolej Tun Syed Nasir, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Studies found that deep fried starchy foods may contain potential compound to increase cancer risk known as acrylamide. Identification of acrylamide health risk assessment in deep fried starchy food among students in Kolej Tun Syed Nasir, Kuala Lumpur was investigated. A survey was conducted to obtain data on types of deep fried starchy food preferred by the subjects, the food source, intake frequency and also the serving size. Acrylamide in the food sample was quantified using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Based on this study, the estimated acrylamide intake are 0.042 µg/kg/day for fries, 0.012 µg/kg/day for fried banana, 0.129 µg/kg/day for fried sweet potato and 6.101 µg/kg/day for the coated fried chicken, while the acrylamide level in anchovies’ fritter cannot be detected (N/A). Based on the hazard quotient (HQ) calculated, the intake of french fries, fried banana and fries sweet potato do not give a significant health risk (HQ < 1). However, for the coated fried chicken, the HQ value is more than 1 which could possibly cause a health risk. Based on individual excess lifetime cancer risk (IELCR) calculated, the deep fried starchy food intake cancer risk of coated fried chicken is higher (3x10 -2 ) compared to fried sweet potato (5.81x10 -4 ), french fries (1.89x10 -4 ) and anchovies fritter (5.4x10 -5 ). The students’ intake of coated fried chicken can give a significant health risk compare to other tested food, however in term of cancer risk, all of the tested food give a high number of probability of increased risk of cancer. DOI : http://dx.doi.org./10.17576/JSKM-2018-1602-14

Correction to: Rapid Detection of Acrylamide in Food Using Mn-Doped ZnS Quantum Dots as a Room Temperature Phosphorescent Probe

The original version of this article unfortunately contained mistakes. The sentence “ACR was determined in all samples in the range of 24.3 to 453.2 g kg−1.” should read “ACR was determined in all samples in the range of 24.3 to 453.2 μg kg−1.” In Table 2 header, it should be “Sample value (μg kg−1)”.