Australian survey of acrylamide in carbohydrate-based foods

A Review of Dietary Intake of Acrylamide in Humans

The dietary intake of acrylamide (AA) is a health concern, and food is being monitored worldwide, but the extent of AA exposure from the diet is uncertain. The aim of this review was to provide an overview of estimated dietary intake. We performed a PubMed search identifying studies that used dietary questionnaires and recalls to estimate total dietary AA intake. A total of 101 studies were included, corresponding to 68 original study populations from 26 countries. Questionnaires were used in 57 studies, dietary recalls were used in 33 studies, and 11 studies used both methods. The estimated median AA intake ranged from 0.02 to 1.53 μg/kg body weight/day between studies. Children were represented in 25 studies, and the body-weight-adjusted estimated AA intake was up to three times higher for children than adults. The majority of studies were from Europe (n = 65), Asia (n = 17), and the USA (n = 12). Studies from Asia generally estimated lower intakes than studies from Europe and the USA. Differences in methods undermine direct comparison across studies. The assessment of AA intake through dietary questionnaires and recalls has limitations. The integration of these methods with the analysis of validated biomarkers of exposure/internal dose would improve the accuracy of dietary AA intake exposure estimation. This overview shows that AA exposure is widespread and the large variation across and within populations shows a potential for reduced intake among those with the highest exposure.

Higher ultra-processed food intake is associated with higher DNA damage in healthy adolescents

Ultra-processed food is one of the main contributors to energy supply and consumption in food systems worldwide, and evidence of their detrimental health outcomes in humans is emerging. This study aimed to assess ultra-processed food intake and its association with urinary levels of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a biomarker of DNA oxidative damage, in 139 healthy adolescents in Karaj City in Iran. Usual dietary intake was measured using a 168-item validated FFQ. The daily intake of ultra-processed food consumption was determined through the classification of NOVA, and general linear models were used to compare the urinary levels of 8-OHdG/creatinine (ng/mg creatinine) within tertiles of ultra-processed food intake. Adolescents in the higher tertile of ultra-processed food consumption had a significantly higher mean level of urinary 8-OHdG/creatinine in comparison with the lower tertiles in the crude model (Pfor trend: 0·003) and after adjustment for confounding variables, including total energy intake, sex, age, BMI for age Z-score, obesity and physical activity (Pfor trend: 0·004). This association was still significant after adjusting for dietary intake of whole grains, nuts, legumes, the ratio of MUFA:SFA (g/d) and Mediterranean dietary score (Pfor trend: 0·002). More studies are needed to explore the determinants of ultra-processed food supply, demand, consumption and health effects; such studies should be applied to develop evidence-informed policies and regulatory mechanisms to improve children’s and adolescents’ food environment policymaking and legislation with special attention to ultra-processed food.

Determination of acrylamide in gingerbread and other food samples by HILIC-MS/MS: A dilute-and-shoot method

This paper describes a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometric (HILIC-MS/MS) method for determining acrylamide in food. The method primary optimised for gingerbread samples that have high sugar contents. A new sample preparation process was optimized using an experiment design based on a central composition design (CCD). A mixture of acidified aqueous acetonitrile was established as a suitable extraction medium. The extracts were further diluted and separation of acrylamide on TSKgel Amide-80 HILIC column was carried out within 8 min. The method was validated using naturally contaminated quality check (QC) as well as spiked samples. The developed method showed acceptable accuracy (101% - 105%) and precision (2.9% - 7.6%). The limit of quantification was 20 µg/kg. The method was also tested by analysing acrylamide in other food samples (bread, roasted coffee, instant coffee, cappuccino powder and fried potato). The acrylamide concentrations found in samples were between 20 µg/kg and 667 µg/kg, which were lower than the benchmark levels set by the European Union (EU). The main advantage of the newly developed method over the standard methods included the easier sample preparation and faster analysis with reduced ion suppression.

Dietary exposure to acrylamide from cafeteria foods in Jeddah schools and associated risk assessment

BACKGROUND

Acrylamide (AA) is a carcinogenic and genotoxic food contaminant produced at high temperatures in foods that are rich in carbohydrates. Foods sold in schools in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, are among such carbohydrate-rich foods produced at high cooking temperatures. It is crucial to determine the importance of AA exposure with respect to cafeteria foods and assess the associated risks.

RESULTS

The highest mean AA level was measured in chocolate pies (439 µg kg^-1 ), followed by custard pies (435 µg kg^-1 ) and cheese pies (432 µg kg^-1 ). The average and 95th percentile values of AA exposure were 0.51 and 1.17 [µg kg^-1 body weight (BW) school day^-1 ]. The average exposure significantly decreased with an increase in age, from 0.65 (µg kg^-1 BW school day^-1 ) in primary school students to 0.37 in secondary school students. Cheese and chocolate pies are the main contributors in AA intake. The contributions of cheese and chocolate pies to the average exposure among primary, middle and secondary school students were 23.1%, 24.7% and 29.4% and 16.9%, 12.1% and 11.9%, respectively. Other products with significant contributions included cheese sandwiches (10.8%, 8.9% and 12.7%), plain cookies (7.7%, 5.6% and 6.7%) and custard pies (7.7%, 4.8% and 8.9%). Other cafeteria products contributed to AA exposure at much lower percentages.

CONCLUSION

The calculated margins of exposure (MOEs) for the average [356 and 614 for both benchmark dose lower confidence limit (BMDL) 0.18 and 0.31 mg kg^-1 BW day^-1 ] and 95th percentile AA exposure values (154 and 265 for both BMDL 0.18 and 0.31 mg kg^-1 BW day^-1 ) suggest that there is a health concern with respect to school-aged students. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Dietary acrylamide and the risk of pancreatic cancer in the International Pancreatic Cancer Case-Control Consortium (PanC4)

Background

Occupational exposure to acrylamide was associated with excess mortality from pancreatic cancer, though in the absence of dose-risk relationship. Few epidemiological studies have examined the association between acrylamide from diet and pancreatic cancer risk.

Patients and methods

We considered this issue in a combined set of 1975 cases of pancreatic cancer and 4239 controls enrolled in six studies of the Pancreatic Cancer Case-Control Consortium (PanC4). We calculated pooled odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) by estimating study-specific ORs through multivariate unconditional logistic regression models and pooling the obtained estimates using random-effects models.

Results

Compared with the lowest level of estimated dietary acrylamide intake, the pooled ORs were 0.97 (95% CI, 0.79-1.19) for the second, 0.91 (95% CI, 0.71-1.16) for the third, and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.66-1.28) for the fourth (highest) quartile of intake. For an increase of 10 µg/day of acrylamide intake, the pooled OR was 0.96 (95% CI, 0.87-1.06), with heterogeneity between estimates (I2 = 67%). Results were similar across various subgroups, and were confirmed when using a one-stage modelling approach.

Conclusions

This PanC4 pooled-analysis found no association between dietary acrylamide and pancreatic cancer.

Survey of acrylamide levels in Chinese foods

A survey of levels of acrylamide (AA) in 349 food products obtained from the Chinese market was conducted. AA was determined by an liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method in four different matrices ranged from 0.8 to 10 µg kg(-1) and from 4.0 to 25 µg kg(-1), respectively. The results from this survey indicated that AA was present in all samples except drinking water and tea. AA contents in different samples varied greatly according to the raw materials and processing conditions. The highest level of AA was found in potato products, with an average level of 1467 µg kg(-1). Preliminary estimates of AA exposure and risk assessment of AA from foods in the Chinese population were performed using a combination of data obtained in the present survey and 2002 dietary consumption survey carried out in 2002 for the Chinese population. The average dietary exposure of AA was estimated to be 0.38 µg kg(-1) body weight day(-1), which is relatively low compared with the result reported by the Food and Agricultural Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO). Furthermore, the margin of exposure for neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, and carcinogenicity of AA was calculated to be 1318, 5250, and 787, respectively.

Ultra trace level determinations of acrylamide in surface and drinking water by GC-MS after derivatization with xanthydrol

A sensitive GC-MS method has been established for the determination of acrylamide in surface and drinking water based on derivatization with xanthydrol. Deuterated acrylamide (acrylamide-d3 ) was chosen as the internal standard for analyzing the water sample. The derivatization of acrylamide was performed directly in water, and the best reaction conditions (xanthydrol of 1.6 mM, HCl concentration of 0.05 M, reaction for 30 min at ambient temperature) were established by variation of parameters. Under the established conditions, the detection and quantification limits were 3.0 and 9.7 ng/L, respectively, and the interday RSD was less than 8% at concentrations of 20 and 100 ng/L.

Acrylamide content distribution and possible alternative ingredients for snack foods

Acrylamide (AA) contents in 294 snack foods including cereal-based, root- and tuber-based, and seafood-based foods, nuts, dried beans, and dried fruits purchased in Taiwan were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in this study. The highest levels of average AA content were found in root- and tuber-based snack foods (435 μg/kg), followed by cereal-based snack foods (299 μg/kg). Rice flour-based, seafood-based, and dried fruit snack foods had the lowest average AA content (<50 μg/kg). This is the first large surveillance of AA content in snack foods in Taiwan. The results could provide important data regarding intake information from the snack foods. In addition, the results showed a great diversity of AA content in snack foods prepared from different ingredients. Rice- and seafood-based products had much lower AA than those made from other ingredients. This information could constitute a good reference for consumers to select products for healthy snacking.

Development of a certified reference material for the determination of acrylamide in potato chips

A certified reference material (CRM), KRISS CRM 108-10-003, has been developed for analysis of acrylamide in potato chips, as a representative of carbohydrate-rich food cooked in high-temperature oil. The material was prepared by grinding commercially available potato chips to a paste which was then homogenized, bottled in 15-g units, and stored at -70 °C. Certification, homogeneity and stability testing, were carried out by liquid chromatography-isotope-dilution mass spectrometry (ID-LC-MS). A single ID-LC-MS measurement was performed for each of 10 selected units for certification and homogeneity assessment. The mean measurement result for the 10 bottles, 0.455 ± 0.012 mg kg(-1), was assigned as the certified value of the CRM. The between-bottle homogeneity was 0.8% of the certified value. The within-bottle homogeneity, tested by measuring three replicate sub-samples from each of three randomly selected bottles, was similar to the between-bottle homogeneity. The stability of the CRM under storage conditions (-70 °C) was tested for 21 months and no change in the acrylamide content was observed within the measurement uncertainty. Stability of the CRM at -20 °C (storage at user's site) and room temperature (for regular use and transportation) was also tested. Also presented is the newly designed procedure for evaluating the uncertainty of the certified value for the characterization scheme used in this study.

Determination of acrylamide in coffee and chocolate by pressurised fluid extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A selective and sensitive procedure has been developed and validated for the determination of acrylamide in difficult matrices, such as coffee and chocolate. The proposed method includes pressurised fluid extraction (PFE) with acetonitrile, florisil clean-up purification inside the PFE extraction cell and detection by liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to atmospheric pressure ionisation in positive mode tandem mass spectrometry (APCI-MS-MS). Comparison of ionisation sources (atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation (APCI), atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) and the combined APCI/APPI) and clean-up procedures were carried out to improve the analytical signal. The main parameters affecting the performance of the different ionisation sources were previously optimised using statistical design of experiments (DOE). PFE parameters were also optimised by DOE. For quantitation, an isotope dilution approach was used. The limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method was 1 microg kg(-1) for coffee and 0.6 microg kg(-1) for chocolate. Recoveries ranged between 81-105% in coffee and 87-102% in chocolate. The accuracy was evaluated using a coffee reference test material FAPAS T3008. Using the optimised method, 20 coffee and 15 chocolate samples collected from Valencian (Spain) supermarkets, were investigated for acrylamide, yielding median levels of 146 microg kg(-1) in coffee and 102 microg kg(-1) in chocolate.

Determination of acrylamide levels in selected foods in Brazil

Selected carbohydrate-rich foods available on the Brazilian market (111 samples representing 19 product categories) were analysed for acrylamide content using a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. A limit of detection of 10 microg kg(-1), a limit of quantitation of 20 microg kg(-1) and mean recoveries ranging 100 to 115% were obtained during a laboratory validation procedure. The concentration of acrylamide in the samples ranged from <20 to 2528 microg kg(-1), with a considerable variation between individual foodstuffs within the same food product class. The highest levels were found in potato products processed at high temperature and in instant coffee, while the lowest concentrations were detected in cassava- and maize-based products, bread and beer. These results are comparable with those reported in other countries.

Acrylamide levels in Finnish foodstuffs analysed with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Sample clean-up and HPLC with tandem mass spectrometric detection (LC-MS/MS) was validated for the routine analysis of acrylamide in various foodstuffs. The method used proved to be reliable and the detection limit for routine monitoring was sensitive enough for foods and drinks (38 microg/kg for foods and 5 microg/L for drinks). The RSDs for repeatability and day-to-day variation were below 15% in all food matrices. Two hundred and one samples which included more than 30 different types of food and foods manufactured and prepared in various ways were analysed. The main types of food analysed were potato and cereal-based foods, processed foods (pizza, minced beef meat, meat balls, chicken nuggets, potato-ham casserole and fried bacon) and coffee. Acrylamide was detected at levels, ranging from nondetectable to 1480 microg/kg level in solid food, with crisp bread exhibiting the highest levels. In drinks, the highest value (29 microg/L) was found in regular coffee drinks.

Urinary acrylamide metabolites as biomarkers for short-term dietary exposure to acrylamide

It has previously been reported that heat-treated carbohydrate rich foods may contain high levels of acrylamide resulting in consumers being inadvertently exposed to acrylamide. Acrylamide is mainly excreted in the urine as mercapturic acid derivatives of acrylamide and glycidamide. In a clinical study comprising of 53 subjects, the urinary excretion of these metabolites was determined using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography with positive electrospray MS/MS detection. The median (range) total excretion of acrylamide in urine during 24 h was 16 (7-47) microg acrylamide for non-smokers and 74 (38-106) microg acrylamide for smokers, respectively. It was found that the median intake estimate in the study based on 24 h dietary recall was 21 (13-178) and 26 (12-67) for non-smokers and smokers, respectively. The median dietary exposure to acrylamide was estimated to be 0.47 (range 0.17-1.16) microg/kg body weight per day. In a multiple linear regression analysis, the urinary excretion of acrylamide metabolites correlated statistically significant with intake of aspartic acid, protein, starch and coffee. Consumption of citrus fruits correlated negatively with excretion of acrylamide metabolites.

Acrylamide content of selected Spanish foods: Survey of biscuits and bread derivatives

An overview of the acrylamide content in commercial biscuits and bread derivatives (bread sticks, bread crust, crackers) marketed in Spain is presented. Acrylamide was determined by stable isotope dilution LC-MS with an LOQ of 30 microg kg(-1). Acrylamide content ranged from <LOQ-2085, <LOQ-151, <LOQ-296 and <LOQ-323 microg kg(-1) for biscuits, crisp bread, crackers and bread sticks, respectively. Acrylamide was significantly higher in samples when ammonium hydrogen carbonate had been used as a rising agent and high fibre content (>5%) used in the formulation, but lower when functional ingredients, such as polyols, were used. An estimation of the acrylamide dietary exposure related to biscuits and bread derivatives was calculated as 0.082 microg kg(-1) day(-1). Estimated dietary intake were 0.002 and 0.058 microg kg(-1) day(-1) for crackers and biscuits, respectively.

Sensitive isotope dilution liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of acrylamide in chocolate

Isotope dilution liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was applied to the quantification of acrylamide in chocolate matrixes (dark chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate with nuts, chocolate with almonds, and chocolate with wheat best element). The method included defatting with petroleum ether, extracting with aqueous solution of 2 mol l(-1) sodium chloride and clean-up by solid-phase (SPE) with OASIS HLB 6 cm3 cartridges. Acrylamide was detected with an Atlantis dC18 5 microm 210 x 1.5 mm column using 10% methanol/0.1% formic acid in water as the mobile phase. The analytical method was in-house validated and good results were obtained with respect to repeatability (RSD < 3.5%) and recovery (86-93%), which fulfilled the requirements defined by European Union legislation. The acrylamide levels in chocolate were 23-537 microg kg(-1). Therefore, the method was successfully used for the quantitative analysis of acrlyamide in various chocolate products.

A generic method for the determination of acrylamide in thermally processed foods

A generic sample preparation method for the determination of acrylamide in foods was developed. The method entails extraction with methanol, purification with Carrez I and II solutions, evaporation and solvent change to water, and cleanup with Oasis HLB solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridge. The final extract was analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for quantitation. The chromatographic separation was performed on ODS-3 column using the isocratic mixture of 0.01 mM acetic acid in 0.2% aqueous solution of formic acid at a flow rate of 0.6 ml/min at 25 degrees C. The recoveries of acrylamide from potato chips, biscuits and coffee ranged between 92.8 and 101.5% with relative standard deviations of 4.1% or less. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) were 2 ng/g and 6 ng/g in the basis of signal to noise ratios of 3:1 and 9:1, respectively.

Determination of acrylamide in potato chips and crisps by high-performance liquid chromatography

A simple and rapid method using liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detection (LC-DAD) was developed for the determination of acrylamide in potato-based foods at low levels. The method entails extraction of acrylamide with methanol, purification with Carrez I and II solutions, evaporation and solvent change to water, and cleanup with a Oasis HLB solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridge. The final extract was analyzed by LC-DAD for quantification and by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for confirmation. The chromatographic separations were performed on a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic interaction columns having good retention of acrylamide under 100% aqueous flow conditions (k' 3.67 and 2.54, respectively). The limit of quantitation was estimated to be 4.0 microg/kg based on the signal-to-noise ratio of 3 recorded at 226 nm. Recoveries of acrylamide from potato chips samples spiked at levels of 250, 500 and 1000 (n = 4 for each level) microg/kg ranged between 92.8 and 96.2% with relative standard deviations of less than 5%. The results of this study revealed that a conventional LC instrument coupled to DAD can also be used accurately and precisely, as an alternative to tandem LC-MS methods for the determination of acrylamide in potato-based foods.

Occurrence and analytical methods of acrylamide in heat-treated foods. Review and recent developments

In early 2002, Swedish National Food Administration (SNFA) and University of Stockholm together announced that certain foods that are processed or cooked at high temperature contain relatively high levels of acrylamide. The occurrence of acrylamide is derived from heat-induced reactions between the amino group of asparagine and the carbonyl group of reducing sugars during baking and frying. Corresponding chromatographic methods are used to determine various structural groups present during this process. Gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry (MS) and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis are both acknowledged as the major useful and authoritative methods for the acrylamide determination and other chromatographic methods are also briefly introduced. The aim of this review is to summarize the state-of-the-art about the occurrence, analytical methods, and extraction and clean-up procedures of acrylamide. Special attention is given to chromatographic techniques applied for the occurrence and determination of acrylamide.

Human exposure and internal dose assessments of acrylamide in food

This review provides a framework contributing to the risk assessment of acrylamide in food. It is based on the outcome of the ILSI Europe FOSIE process, a risk assessment framework for chemicals in foods and adds to the overall framework by focusing especially on exposure assessment and internal dose assessment of acrylamide in food. Since the finding that acrylamide is formed in food during heat processing and preparation of food, much effort has been (and still is being) put into understanding its mechanism of formation, on developing analytical methods and determination of levels in food, and on evaluation of its toxicity and potential toxicity and potential human health consequences. Although several exposure estimations have been proposed, a systematic review of key information relevant to exposure assessment is currently lacking. The European and North American branches of the International Life Sciences Institute, ILSI, discussed critical aspects of exposure assessment, parameters influencing the outcome of exposure assessment and summarised data relevant to the acrylamide exposure assessment to aid the risk characterisation process. This paper reviews the data on acrylamide levels in food including its formation and analytical methods, the determination of human consumption patterns, dietary intake of the general population, estimation of maximum intake levels and identification of groups of potentially high intakes. Possible options and consequences of mitigation efforts to reduce exposure are discussed. Furthermore the association of intake levels with biomarkers of exposure and internal dose, considering aspects of bioavailability, is reviewed, and a physiologically-based toxicokinetic (PBTK) model is described that provides a good description of the kinetics of acrylamide in the rat. Each of the sections concludes with a summary of remaining gaps and uncertainties.

Survey of acrylamide in Turkish foods by an in-house validated LC-MS method

A survey of retail Turkish foods was conducted for acrylamide using an in-house validated LC-MS method. The recoveries obtained for a variety of food matrices ranged between 81.2 and 96.8% for a spiking level of 500 ng g(-1). The limit of quantification was determined as 15-20 ng g(-1) depending on the food matrix in the basis of a signal-to-noise ratio of 5. A total of 120 food samples were analysed for acrylamide. The mean acrylamide levels in different food groups were in the order: crackers>potato chips>biscuits>cakes>baby foods>corn chips>cookies>breakfast cereals>breads>grilled vegetables>wafers>chocolates. The crumb of bread was free of acrylamide, whilst significant concentrations were found in the crust.