Patented techniques for acrylamide mitigation in high-temperature processed foods

Ultra-processed food consumption and exposure to acrylamide in a nationally representative sample of the US population aged 6 years and older

Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption has been associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer. Acrylamide is a probable human carcinogen commonly found in foods that are processed at high temperatures. The aim of this study was to examine the association between dietary energy contribution of UPF and acrylamide exposure, in the US. Among the 4418 participants from cross-sectional 2013-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, aged 6+ years, with hemoglobin biomarkers of acrylamide exposure, 3959 that completed the first 24-h dietary recall and had information on all covariates were included in the study. UPF were identified based on the Nova classification system, a four-group food classification based on the extent and purpose of industrial food processing. Linear regression was used to compare average acrylamide and glycidamide hemoglobin (HbAA+HbGA) concentrations across quintiles of daily energy contribution of UPF. Adjusted geometric means of acrylamide and glycidamide hemoglobin concentrations increased monotonically from the lowest to the highest quintile of UPF consumption in the overall population. Compared to the lowest quintile, the highest quintile had 9.1% higher levels of HbAA+HbGA (94.1 vs. 86.3 pmol/g Hb). These positive associations were statistically significant among males and in the young adult population and were largely driven by UPF which are known potential sources of acrylamide. The main effects remained unchanged when excluding current smokers. As both acrylamides and UPF have been previously associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer, our results suggest that acrylamides in UPF may partially explain previously observed links between UPF consumption and these health outcomes.

Effect of the Integrated Addition of a Red Tara Pods (Caesalpinia spinosa) Extract and NaCl over the Neo-Formed Contaminants Content and Sensory Properties of Crackers

A 2k factorial design with three centrals points was considered to evaluate the effect of adding red Tara pods extract (Caesalpinia spinosa) (440–2560 µg/mL of dough water) and NaCl (0.3–1.7 g/100 g of flour) on the acrylamide (AA) and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content and sensory attributes of crackers. Additionally, the best formulation, defined as that with the lowest AA and HMF content, was compared with a commercial formulation cracker. Red Tara pods extracts were obtained through conventional extraction using pure water (60 °C, 35 min). AA and HMF content were quantified by GC-MS and HPLC-DAD, respectively. The sensory evaluation was carried out using a descriptive analysis on a 10 cm non-structured linear scale. Red Tara pods extract significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the AA and HMF content, while NaCl only influenced the HMF formation. However, the sensory attributes did not significantly change (p > 0.05), excepting the violet-gray color and salty flavor, but at acceptable levels compared with the control sample. The higher the red Tara pods extract concentration (2560 µg/mL of dough water), the lower the neo-formed contaminants (NFCs) content of crackers (AA: 53 µg/kg and HMF: 1236 µg/kg) when salt level was below 3 g/100 g of flour. The action of the proanthocyanidins present in the extracts which trapped the carbonyl groups of sugars probably avoided the formation of both NFCs. Contrarily, NaCl addition (from 0.3 to 1.7 g/100 g of flour) significantly increased (p < 0.05) the HMF formation (from 1236 µg/kg to 4239 µg/kg, respectively), probably through the dehydration of carbohydrates during the Maillard reaction. When explored treatments were compared with a commercial formulated cracker, the highest mitigation effect (reductions of 40% and 32% AA and HMF, respectively) was reached with the addition of 2560 µg/mL of dough water of red Tara pods extract and 0.3 g/100 g of flour of NaCl. The addition of red Tara pods extracts integrated with the control of NaCl levels mitigated the NFCs in crackers, preserving their sensory properties. Future research should be focused on scaling this mitigation technology, considering a better chemical characterization of red Tara pods extracts as well as the validation of its use as functional food ingredient.

Current issues in dietary acrylamide: formation, mitigation and risk assessment

Acrylamide (AA) is known as a neurotoxin in humans and it is classified as a probable human carcinogen by the International Agency of Research on Cancer. AA is produced as by-product of the Maillard reaction in starchy foods processed at high temperatures (>120 °C). This review includes the investigation of AA precursors, mechanisms of AA formation and AA mitigation technologies in potato, cereal and coffee products. Additionally, most relevant issues of AA risk assessment are discussed. New technologies tested from laboratory to industrial scale face, as a major challenge, the reduction of AA content of browned food, while still maintaining its attractive organoleptic properties. Reducing sugars such as glucose and fructose are the major contributors to AA in potato-based products. On the other hand, the limiting substrate of AA formation in cereals and coffee is the free amino acid asparagine. For some products the addition of glycine or asparaginase reduces AA formation during baking. Since, for potatoes, the limiting substrate is reducing sugars, increases in sugar content in potatoes during storage then introduce some difficulties and potentially quite large variations in the AA content of the final product. Sugars in potatoes may be reduced by blanching. Levels of AA in different foods show large variations and no general upper limit is easily applicable, since some formation will always occur. Current policy is that practical measures should be taken voluntarily to reduce AA formation in vulnerable foods since AA is considered a health risk at the concentrations found in foods.