Baked Food Research Articles

Grape pomace and pecan shell fortified bread: The effect of dietary fiber-phenolic compounds interaction on the in vitro accessibility of phenolic compounds and in vitro glycemic index

Grape pomace (GP) and pecan shell (PS) are two by-products rich in phenolic compounds (PC), and dietary fiber (DF) that may be considered for the development of functional baked foods. In this study, four formulations with different GP:PS ratios (F1(8%:5%), F2(5%:5%), F3(5%:2%), F4(0%:5%), and control bread (CB)) were elaborated and characterized (physiochemical and phytochemical content). Also, their inner structure (SEM), changes in their FTIR functional group's vibrations, and the bioaccessibility of PC and sugars, including an in vitro glycemic index, were analyzed. Results showed that all GP:PS formulations had higher mineral, protein, DF (total, soluble, and insoluble), and PC content than CB. Additionally, PC and non-starch polysaccharides affected gluten and starch absorbance and pores distribution. In vitro digestion model showed a reduction in the glycemic index for all formulations, compared to CB. These findings highlight the possible health benefits of by-products and their interactions in baked goods.

Effect of vitamins and zinc fortification on sensory properties and nutritional value in a functional biscuit

Abstract Biscuits are a popular baked food product known for their extended shelf life. Fortification with essential vitamins and minerals becomes imperative to enhance their nutritional values. This study aimed to enrich a functional biscuit with key nutrients, including vitamins C, D, and E, as well as the mineral zinc. A sensory parameter was examined by performing 9 point-hedonic scales for color, aroma, taste, and overall liking test, showing 1 as the lowest liking score, and 9 as the highest liking value. Proximate, vitamins and mineral analyses were performed to study the macro- and micronutrient content of the biscuits. The findings demonstrated that fortification with vitamins and minerals did not significantly alter the sensory attributes of the functional biscuit (P >0.05). This study found that color, aroma, taste, and overall impression exhibited trivial variations (P >0.05)) between the original and fortified biscuits, with scores of 5.55 vs. 5.50, 6.68 vs. 6.59, 6.09 vs. 5.95, and 6.18 vs. 6.00, respectively. Importantly, the study effectively increased the nutritional content of the biscuit through fortification per serving size of 35 g, 0.00 vs 2.36 mcg, 0.95 vs 5.84 mg, 0.00 vs 39.31 mg, and 0.90 vs 7.47 mg for vitamin C, D, E, and zinc, respectively. This study also showed the total energy, protein, carbohydrate, and fat content for each serving size of the original and fortified biscuits, resulting in 160.01 vs 161.92 kcal, 2.69 vs 2.67 g, 21.11 vs 21.70 g, and 7.20 vs 7.16 g, respectively. In conclusion, fortifying vitamins and zinc in the functional biscuit effectively heightened its nutritional profile of vitamins and minerals, while sensory properties remained largely unaffected.

Eating habits, sleep quality, and lifestyle changes during the COVID-19 crisis: a national survey from Palestine

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic and the consequences of safety measures, such as lockdowns, have impacted not only the physical health of individuals but also their lifestyle, psychosocial health, and mental health. In this analysis, we aimed to explore the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on lifestyle, eating habits, and sleep quality in the Palestinian population. Furthermore, the current study aimed to determine the factors associated with poor sleep.MethodsThe study was carried out between November 2021 and February 2022 after a long lockdown. We adopted a cross-sectional design to achieve the objectives of this study. The questionnaire included information on sociodemographic characteristics and other characteristics. In addition, questions related to lifestyle changes and items related to changes in the consumption of certain types of food were included. Furthermore, in the present study, two scales were used to assess sleep quality: the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).ResultsA total of 978 participants were included in this study; 508 (51.9%) were women, and 465 (47.5%) were aged between 17 and 30 years. 41% of the participants added one meal or more, and almost 43% skipped one meal or more. A total of 39.2% believed that their habits worsened as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A significant portion of the population increased their vitamin intake by 62.5%. In general, nuts, fast food, fried food, coffee, snacks, cans, and homemade baked foods were consumed at higher rates overall. The median ESS score, which measures general levels of daytime drowsiness, was 20.00 (18.00–22.00). Residency (p = 0.008), living status (p < 0.001), salary (p < 0.001), education level (p = 0.002), job status (p = 0.015), and vitamin intake (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with the ESS score. The PSQI score, which evaluates adult sleep patterns and quality, has a median value of 5.00. (4.00–7.00). Living status (p < 0.001), salary (p = 0.006), job status (p = 0.002), smoking status (p = 0.030), chronic diseases (p = 0.002), and vitamin use (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with the PSQI score. Only taking multivitamins was a predictor of having a lower score on both the ESS (p = 0.001) and PSQI (p < 0.001).ConclusionsOur findings clearly showed that the COVID-19 pandemic has substantially affected the Palestinian population in different aspects of life. We recommend that health authorities and healthcare providers continually share knowledge and awareness about good eating habits, sleep quality, and other aspects of lifestyles.

Aroma characterization and consumer acceptance of four cookie products enriched with insect (Ruspolia differens) meal

This research aims to advance knowledge on the impact of four processing methods on volatile compounds from insect-based baked products (cookies) to provide insights on consumer acceptance. Samples were exposed to double step enzyme digestive test, volatiles characterized through headspace analysis, while semi-trained panelists were recruited for the sensory test. Blanched and boiled samples of R. differens had considerably higher digestibility (83.42% and 81.61%, respectively) (p < 0.05) than toasted and deep-fried samples. Insect-based cookie products integrated with blanched and boiled R. differens meal expressed higher digestibility (80.41% and 78.73%, respectively) that was comparable to that of commercial cookie products (control cookies-CTRC with 88.22%). Key volatile compounds common between the various cookie products included, nonanal, octanal, methyl-pyrazine, hexanal, tetradecane, 2-pentylfuran, 2-heptanone, 2E-octenal, 2E-heptenal and dodecane. Among the volatile compounds, pleasant aromas observed were 2E,4E-dodecadienal, pentanal, octanal, methyl pyrazine, furfurals, benzaldehyde, and 2-pentyl furan, which were more pronounced in cookies fortified with boiled, toasted and deep-fried R. differens meal. There was a greater resemblance of sensory characteristics between control cookies and those fortified with deep-fried R. differens. These findings underscore the significant influence of aroma compounds on consumer acceptability and preference for insect-based baked food products, which allows for future process-modification of innate aromas of insect-based meals to produce high-valued pleasant consumer driven market products.

Microfluidic Distillation System for Separation of Propionic Acid in Foods.

A microfluidic distillation system is proposed to facilitate the separation and subsequent determination of propionic acid (PA) in foods. The system comprises two main components: (1) a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) micro-distillation chip incorporating a micro-evaporator chamber, a sample reservoir, and a serpentine micro-condensation channel; and (2) and a DC-powered distillation module with built-in heating and cooling functions. In the distillation process, homogenized PA sample and de-ionized water are injected into the sample reservoir and micro-evaporator chamber, respectively, and the chip is then mounted on a side of the distillation module. The de-ionized water is heated by the distillation module, and the steam flows from the evaporation chamber to the sample reservoir, where it prompts the formation of PA vapor. The vapor flows through the serpentine microchannel and is condensed under the cooling effects of the distillation module to produce a PA extract solution. A small quantity of the extract is transferred to a macroscale HPLC and photodiode array (PDA) detector system, where the PA concentration is determined using a chromatographic method. The experimental results show that the microfluidic distillation system achieves a distillation (separation) efficiency of around 97% after 15 min. Moreover, in tests performed using 10 commercial baked food samples, the system achieves a limit of detection of 50 mg/L and a limit of quantitation of 96 mg/L, respectively. The practical feasibility of the proposed system is thus confirmed.

Study of Potential Synergistic Effect of Probiotic Formulas on Acrylamide Reduction

Acrylamide (AA) is a food processing contaminant commonly found in fried and baked food products. In this study, the potential synergistic effect of probiotic formulas in reducing AA was studied. Five selected probiotic strains (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum ATCC14917 (L. Pl.), Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus ATCC11842 (L. B.), Lacticaseibacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei ATCC25302 (L. Pa), Streptococcus thermophilus ATCC19258, and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum ATCC15707) were selected for investigating their AA reducing capacity. It was found that L. Pl. (108 CFU/mL) showed the highest AA reduction percentage (43-51%) when exposed to different concentrations of AA standard chemical solutions (350, 750, and 1250 ng/mL). The potential synergistic effect of probiotic formulas was also examined. The result demonstrated a synergistic AA reduction effect by the probiotic formula: L. Pl. + L. B., which also showed the highest AA reduction ability among the tested formulas. A further study was conducted by incubating selected probiotic formulas with potato chips and biscuit samples followed by an in vitro digestion model. The findings demonstrated a similar trend in AA reduction ability as those found in the chemical solution. This study firstly indicated the synergistic effect of probiotic formulas on AA reduction and its effect was also highly strain-dependent.

Study of the Fermentation Characteristics of Non-Conventional Yeast Strains in Sweet Dough

Despite the diverse functions of yeast, only a relatively homogenous group of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts is used in the baking industry. Much of the potential of the natural diversity of yeasts has not been explored, and the sensory complexity of fermented baked foods is limited. While research on non-conventional yeast strains in bread making is increasing, it is minimal for sweet fermented bakery products. In this study, the fermentation characteristics of 23 yeasts from the bakery, beer, wine, and spirits industries were investigated in sweet dough (14% added sucrose w/w dm flour). Significant differences in invertase activity, sugar consumption (0.78-5.25% w/w dm flour), and metabolite (0.33-3.01% CO2; 0.20-1.26% ethanol; 0.17-0.80% glycerol; 0.09-0.29% organic acids) and volatile compound production were observed. A strong positive correlation (R2 = 0.76, p < 0.001) between sugar consumption and metabolite production was measured. Several non-conventional yeast strains produced more positive aroma compounds and fewer off-flavors than the reference baker's yeast. This study shows the potential of non-conventional yeast strains in sweet dough.

Agro-Industrial Fruit Byproducts as Health-Promoting Ingredients Used to Supplement Baked Food Products.

One of the biggest problems faced by food industries is the generation of large amounts of agro-industrial byproducts, such as those derived from fruit processing, as well as the negative effects of their inadequate management. Approximately 1/3 of the food produced worldwide is unused or is otherwise wasted along the chain, which represents a burden on the environment and an inefficiency of the system. Thus, there is growing interest in reintroducing agro-industrial byproducts (both from fruits and other sources) into the processing chain, either by adding them as such or utilizing them as sources of health-promoting bioactive compounds. The present work discusses recent scientific studies on the nutritional and bioactive composition of some agro-industrial byproducts derived from fruit processing, their applications as ingredients to supplement baked foods, and their main biological activities on the consumer’s health. Research shows that agro-industrial fruit byproducts can be incorporated into various baked foods, increasing their fiber content, bioactive profile, and antioxidant capacity, in addition to other positive effects such as reducing their glycemic impact and inducing satiety, all while maintaining good sensory acceptance. Using agro-industrial fruit byproducts as food ingredients avoids discarding them; it can promote some bioactivities and maintain or even improve sensory acceptance. This contributes to incorporating edible material back into the processing chain as part of a circular bioeconomy, which can significantly benefit primary producers, processing industries (particularly smaller ones), and the final consumer.

Quantification of Casein in Baked Food Products by Selective Analysis of Phosphorylated Peptides Using Fluorous Derivatization with Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method.

Casein is one of the allergen proteins present in milk. Therefore, a quantification method for the selective analysis of casein using fluorous derivatization with LC-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed. After two allergen proteins (αS1-casein and β-casein) extracted from baked sugar cookies were tryptic digested, the obtained phosphorylated peptides were selectively derivatized by β-elimination with Ba(NO3)2 under basic condition and Michael addition with perfluoroalkylthiol (1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctanethiol, PFOT). In this study, YKVPQLEIVPN(pSer)AQQR (104-119 fragment from αS1-casein) and FQ(pSer)EEQQQTEDELQDK (33-48 fragment from β-casein) obtained by tryptic digestion were selected as target peptides. The phosphorylated serine residue in each peptide was converted to a perfluoroalkyl group by derivatization. The obtained fluorous-derivatized peptides were analyzed by LC-MS/MS, to which a fluorous LC column was connected. Therefore, it was possible to analyze casein without being affected by the matrix components in the baked food sample. When the present method was applied to cookies with arbitrary amounts of αS1-casein and β-casein, the obtained quantification values were in good agreement with the arbitrary amounts spiked. The quantification limits of αS1- and β-casein in cookie analysis were 246 and 152 ng/g, respectively. Hence, this method can be used to analyze trace amounts of allergen proteins present in the baked food.

Production and purification of glutaminase free L-asparaginase from Lysinibacillus fusiformis and its appraisal in acrylamide mitigation of starchy foods

L-asparaginase (EC 3.5.1.1.) is at the leading edge in microbial catalysis and biotechnology, as it possess range of applications in biomedical and food sectors. The L-asparaginase manifests versatile applications in the treatment of cancers and acrylamide reduction in fried and baked food. However, availability of limited enzyme producers, lower activity and stability reduces the commercial exploitation of asparaginase. L-asparaginase was produced and purified from the newly isolated bacterial strain Lysinibacillus fusiformis NP_MK3. The enzyme was partially purified using the DEAE Sepharose column chromatography and gel electrophoresis revealed production of asparaginase isozymes by L. fusiformis. The enzyme activity was enhanced up to twofold (10.55 Ul−1) with the addition of fructose as a carbon source. L-asparaginase exhibited optimal activity at 35 °C and pH 8. Pretreatment of potato chips with purified L-asparaginase had resulted into considerable decrease in acrylamide content. L. fusiformis asparaginase could potentially be employed as a robust biological pretreatment strategy to lessen the acrylamide content in fried and baked foods and thus in a long term reducing the risks of cancer incidence by consumption of such food products.

Elucidating the cleaning of complex food soil layers by in-situ measurements

The mechanisms involved in cleaning a heterogeneous, multicomponent baked food soil off stainless steel surfaces in aqueous solutions were investigated using novel tools to quantify changes in the soil in situ and in real time: fluid dynamic gauging (thickness, voidage); millimanipulation (adhesive strength, removal force); TOC assays (soil leaching); and droplet image analysis (fat and oil release). Swelling of the soil was accompanied by a reduction in soil strength and preceded the release of oil droplets: the latter did not affect removal forces. The effect of pH, temperature, and surfactants (CTAB, SDBS and TX-100) was investigated and quantified using simple zeroth and first order kinetic models. Whilst increasing temperature from 20 °C to 50 °C enhanced swelling and reduced adhesion forces, the impact of pH and surfactant varied and simple rules to predict cleaning of this complex food soil could not be extracted.

Formulation of Kattuyanam Rice Cupcake and its Quality Assessment

Cereal and pulse combination is considered as the staple food in the diet pattern, whereas refined or processed food consumption plays an important role in the occurrence of chronic lifestyle-related diseases. Cake is a sweet baked food made from refined flour and sugar, egg and fat. Consumers are gaining awareness about the importance of consuming healthy and wholesome foods. Hence, there is a felt need to develop plant-based, gluten-free and lactose-free cupcakes incorporating indigenous kattuyanam rice by completely replacing refined flour. Brown rice (Oryza sativa L.), also recognized as Kattuyanam rice is one of the traditional coloured rice variety which has immense nutrient potentials and improves human health. The present study was intended to formulate a plant-based cupcake that is rich in protein, fibre and calcium. The study also aimed at evaluating its nutritional composition, calculate its cost, and to assess the level of acceptability by subjecting to organoleptic evaluation. The plant-based cupcakes were formulated in three different ratios using each pulse variety and with kattuyanam rice. The two varied pulses used were horse gram dhal [A KHC (50:10), B KHC (40:20), C KHC (30:30)] and green gram dhal [D KGC (50:10), E KGC (40:20), F KGC (30:30)], the cakes were formulated and standardized without the addition of any artificial preservatives. Sensory evaluation of the cupcakes was carried out by a panel comprising of twenty members and the nine-point hedonic scale was used. The results of the sensory evaluation revealed that the kattuyanam rice cupcakes formulated in the ratio 30:30 [C KHC and F KGC] from both the variations had maximum overall acceptability score, these were subjected for further analysis. Results of the nutrient analysis revealed that the cupcakes were rich sources of protein, fibre and iron. The cupcakes were priced at twelve rupees per piece, making it economical. The formulated kattuyanam rice cupcake can be considered a viable solution for people with celiac, lactose intolerance patients, and the population adopting a vegan lifestyle.

Wheat flour superheated steam treatment induced changes in molecular rearrangement and polymerization behavior of gluten

Wheat flour superheated steam treatment can improve the baking food quality by modifying the functionality of wheat flour. To reveal the underlying mechanism of improving wheat flour quality by superheated steam treatment, the gluten molecular rearrangement and polymerization behavior of wheat flour upon superheated steam were studied. Molecular size distributions of samples were analyzed using size exclusion (SE-HPLC) and electrophoresis, which illustrated that superheated steam treatment promoted the aggregation of gluten due to cross-links of disulfide (SS) bonds. Superheated steam treatment increased the SDS-insoluble proteins content from 63.07% (native wheat flour) to 93.32% (treated at 150 °C for 1 min). Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to calculate the different secondary structures percentages of gluten, suggesting that superheated steam treatment increased intermolecular β-sheet and α-helix while it decreased anti-parallel β-sheet, β-turn and β-sheet. Furthermore, thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and rheology suggested that superheated steam treatment enhanced gluten mass but weakened gel system due to molecular rearrangements of SS bonds and hydrogen bonds.

Substitution of Synthetic Colorants by Betalain Pigment Extracted from Beetroot Peels in Baked Foods: Muffins

Synthetic colorants such as Carmoisine and Ponceau 4R are used to get the desired red color in red velvet cakes. These synthetic food colorants have detrimental health effects like carcinogenicity, hypersensitivity reactions, behavioral effects, etc. This study explores the use of beetroots as a source of betalain pigments to be used for natural food coloring. Betalains being thermally labile, many trials were carried out to stabilize the pigments at the high baking temperature. For practical applications, instead of mentioning 'Contains permitted synthetic color', it is beneficial both for the manufacturer and the consumer when it says 'Contains Natural color' on the nutritional label. Betalain pigments also have anti-oxidant properties. From a technological standpoint, the addition of betalain pigment delays oxidative rancidity of fats used in the muffins thus contributing towards longer shelf life.

Selection of food simulators for testing aluminum foil as a food packaging

Introduction. The wide distribution of aluminum foil in the consumer market and its active use in the home as a packaging material determine this study’s relevance. Because health risks associated with aluminum’s chronic consumption are still poorly understood, aluminum intake with food is potentially unsafe for health. In this regard, it is relevant to investigate the conformity of methods and food simulators to the tasks of testing aluminum foil for its safe use as food packaging. The aim of the study is to improve methodological approaches to the selection of food simulators for testing aluminum foil as packaging for food products. Material and methods. The study approach and critical analysis of the domestic and foreign regulatory framework and relevant scientific sources were applied to methodological approaches to study the level of aluminum content in food products and food simulators when testing aluminum foil for food packaging. The adequacy of the application of the methods of quantitative chemical analysis of the aluminum content in food simulators and food products was evaluated in testing household foil, indicated in various regulatory and methodological documents. An experiment was carried out to study the levels of aluminum in simulating media and directly in food. Results. The regulated food simulators do not fully consider the features of the use of aluminum foil as food packaging, for example, the modes of using aluminum foil at elevated temperatures. Conclusion. The current regulatory and methodological framework requires improvement. It is advisable to develop a special method for testing aluminum foil for household purposes with a description of temperature and time modes and conditions for simulating the process of baking food products.

Automatic Turning Manipulator for Cake Production Line

In the production process of baking food processing enterprises, cakes, biscuits and other products made by steaming are generally installed in the baking tray and baked in the oven. The temperature of the baking tray is above 100 degrees Celsius when leaving the oven. The high temperature environment is not conducive to the protection of workers. It needs to be left to cool and then be transported, so the production efficiency is low. In order to solve this problem, a method of replacing the manual handling of the baking tray and removing the baked cake product with a turning robot is proposed. At the same time, two methods for improving the design of the cake production line are given, and the structure and use of the two products of the single-column turning manipulator and the articulated turning manipulator are introduced. The single-column turning manipulator consists of a base, a single-column rotating mechanism, a lifting mechanism, a swing arm, a pneumatic gripping mechanism, etc. A frame-type pneumatic gripping mechanism is adopted, and driven by the turning motor, and can realize the turning of the baking tray. The articulated turning manipulator consists of a base, a waist, a big arm, a small arm, a wrist, and a hand actuator. The hand adopts a rotatable square shaft end structure with an electromagnetic device, transforming the cake baking tray to increase the square groove meshed with it, so as to realize the flipping action of the cake baking tray.

Development and characterization of marine fibre enriched biscuits

A biscuit is a flour-based baked food product which is accepted by all age groups. Carrageenan is a natural polysaccharide obtained from red seaweeds andis a rich source of fibre. The diets rich in fibre have a positive effect on health, thus, carrageenan was incorporated into biscuits to enhance the fibre content. Different percentages (2 to 6%) of carrageenan were incorporated in biscuits among which 6 per cent was found to be the best. Fibre rich biscuits were subjected to physiochemical analysis. The antioxidant activity and total polyphenol contents were estimated. Snap test to determine the crispiness and textural characterization of biscuit was performed and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was done to compare the morphological changes in the products due to addition of carrageenan. The stability of the product at room temperature was analysed by monitoring the textural and colour changes and development of rancidity in the product. The storage studies have revealed a shelf-life of 63 days for the product at room temperature when packed in polypropylene trays.

Attitude towards biogas technology, use and prospects for greenhouse gas emission reduction in southern Ethiopia

In developing countries, fuelwood extraction is one of the main drivers of deforestation, forest degradation, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study aimed to investigate the use, management, and attitudes towards biogas technology in rural communities in Ethiopia and assess its’ potential in reducing the consumption of biomass fuels and emissions of GHG. A questionnaire survey sampled from 40 biogas user and 40 non-user households was used to collect data. The biogas flow rate was measured using a gas flow meter from three random biogas digesters. Biogas and non-biogas user households reported similar socioeconomic perspectives. Our results showed that 92.5% of biogas user households and 77.5% of non-users had a positive attitude towards biogas technology, however, 52.5% of the non-users lacked information about the technology while 25% of the non-users were deterred by biogas installation costs. The average biogas consumption of each household was from 496 to 566 m3 yr−1 for cooking and from 106 to 124 m3 yr−1 for lighting. Biogas user households consumed fuelwood and crop residue to the same extent as non-user households for baking foods. However, biogas user households differed significantly from non-user households in biomass fuel use for non-baked foods owing to the suitability of biogas stoves. Each biogas user household reduced their fuelwood and charcoal use by about 2410 kg yr−1 and 379 kg yr−1, respectively, and decreased their kerosene use (for lighting) by about 9.5 L yr−1. The GHGs emitted by each household was estimated at 10,242 kg CO2e yr−1 and 16,266 kg CO2e yr−1 for biogas user and non-user households, respectively. Thus, each household with a biogas digester has the potential to reduce 6024 kg CO2e yr−1 of GHG emission. Biogas energy can offer an opportunity to mitigate GHGs emissions through reduced pressure on forests. Its’ contribution can more than double by improving the biogas stove design to fit the traditional baked foods.

A reference method for determining the total allergenic protein content in a processed food: the case of milk in cookies as proof of concept

The establishment of a reference method for the determination of the allergen protein content in a processed food material has been explored. An analytical approach was developed to enable the comparability of food allergen measurement results expressed in a decision-relevant manner. A proof of concept is here presented, resulting in quantity values for the common measurand, namely ‘mass of total allergen protein per mass of food’. The quantities are determined with SI traceability to enable the comparability of reported results. A method for the quantification of total milk protein content in an incurred baked food at a concentration level clinically relevant is presented. The strategy on how to obtain the final analytical result is outlined. Challenges associated with this method are discussed, in particular the optimal extraction of the marker proteins, the complete digestion and release of the peptides in an equimolar fashion, the use of conversion factors to translate the amount of measured proteins into total milk protein and the estimation of the uncertainty contributions as well as of the combined uncertainty of the final result. The implementation of such a reference method for the determination of the total allergen content in a processed food is an important step, which will provide comparable measurement data of relevance to risk assessors.Graphical abstract

Occurrence of Acrylamide in Italian Baked Products and Dietary Exposure Assessment.

Acrylamide (AA) is a neo-formed toxic compound that develops in foods during cooking at temperatures above 120 °C. AA shows in vivo neurotoxic and carcinogenic effects, and it is potentially carcinogenic for humans. Its occurrence is common in baked food, such as bread and similar products. This study set out to analyze bread and sweets from the Italian market to evaluate the effects of the benchmark thresholds set by EU Regulation 2017/2158 and to ascertain the exposure of the Italian population to AA, across three age groups, through the consumption of baked products, according to the margin of exposure (MOE) approach. Two hundred samples were tested, and the content of AA ranged from 31 to 454 µg/kg for bread and products thereof and from 204 to 400 µg/kg for the sweets category. The exposure data did not show any neurotoxic health concern, whereas the MOE related to the carcinogenic endpoint is well below the minimum safety value of 10,000.