Effect of nixtamalization processes on mitigation of acrylamide formation in tortilla chips

The role of additives on acrylamide formation in food products: a systematic review

Acrylamide (AA) is a toxic substance formed in many carbohydrate-rich food products, whose formation can be reduced by adding some additives. Furthermore, the type of food consumed determines the AA intake. According to the compiled information, the first route causing AA formation is the Maillard reaction. Some interventions, such as reducing AA precursors in raw materials, (i.e., asparagine), reducing sugars, or decreasing temperature and processing time can be applied to limit AA formation in food products. The L-asparaginase is more widely used in potato products. Also, coatings loaded with proteins, enzymes, and phenolic compounds are new techniques for reducing AA content. Enzymes have a reducing effect on AA formation by acting on asparagine; proteins by competing with amino acids to participate in Maillard, and phenolic compounds through their radical scavenging activity. On the other hand, some synthetic and natural additives increase the formation of AA. Due to the high exposure to AA and its toxic effects, it is essential to recognize suitable food additives to reduce the health risks for consumers. In this sense, this study focuses on different additives that are proven to be effective in the reduction or formation of AA in food products.

Acrylamide in Corn-Based Thermally Processed Foods: A Review

Widely consumed thermally processed corn-based foods can have a great contribution to acrylamide dietary intake, thus bearing a high public health risk and requiring attention and application of strategies for its reduction. This paper reviews the literature on the acrylamide content of corn-based food products present in the market around the world. The potential of corn for acrylamide formation due to its content of free asparagine and reducing sugars is described. Human exposure to acrylamide from corn-based foods is also discussed. The content of acrylamide in corn/tortilla chips, popcorn, and corn flakes, as widely consumed products all over the world, is reported in the literature to be between 5 and 6360 μg/kg, between <LOD and 2220 μg/kg and between <LOD and 1186 μg/kg, respectively. Although these products are important acrylamide sources in the common diet of all age populations, higher intake values occurred among younger generations.

Low Acrylamide Flatbreads from Colored Corn and Other Flours

Dietary acrylamide formed during baking and frying of plant-based foods such as bread and other cereal products, coffee, fried potatoes, and olives is reported to induce genotoxic, carcinogenic, neurotoxic, and antifertility properties in vivo, suggesting the need to keep the acrylamide content low with respect to widely consumed heat-processed food including flatbreads. Due to the fact that pigmented corn flours contain biologically active and health-promoting phenolic and anthocyanin compounds, the objective of this study was to potentially define beneficial properties of flatbread by evaluating the acrylamide content determined by high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) with a detection limit of 1.8 µg/kg and proximate composition by standard methods of six experimental flatbreads made from two white, two blue, one red, and one yellow corn flours obtained by milling commercial seeds. Acrylamide content was also determined in experimental flatbreads made from combinations in quinoa flour, wheat flour, and peanut meal with added broccoli or beet vegetables and of commercial flatbreads including tortillas and wraps. Proximate analysis of flatbreads showed significant differences in protein and fat but not in carbohydrate, mineral, and water content. The acrylamide content of 16 evaluated flatbreads ranged from 0 to 49.1 µg/kg, suggesting that these flatbreads have the potential to serve as low-acrylamide functional foods. The dietary significance of the results is discussed.