Processing effects on acrylamide content in roasted coffee production

Food process contaminants: formation, occurrence, risk assessment and mitigation strategies - a review

Thermal treatment of food can lead to the formation of potentially harmful chemicals, known as process contaminants. These are adventitious contaminants that are formed in food during processing and preparation. Various food processing techniques, such as heating, drying, grilling, and fermentation, can generate hazardous chemicals such as acrylamide (AA), advanced glycation end products (AGEs), heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs), furan, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), N-nitroso compounds (NOCs), monochloropropane diols (MCPD) and their esters (MCPDE) which can be detrimental to human health. Despite efforts to prevent the formation of these compounds during processing, eliminating them is often challenging due to their unknown formation mechanisms. It is critical to identify the potential harm to human health in processed food and understand the mechanisms by which harmful compounds form during processing, as prolonged exposure to these toxic compounds can lead to health problems. Various mitigation strategies, such as the use of diverse pre- and post-processing treatments, product reformulation, additives, variable process conditions, and novel integrated processing techniques, have been proposed to control these food hazards. In this review, we summarize the formation and occurrence, the potential for harm to human health produced by process contaminants in food, and potential mitigation strategies to minimize their impact.

The role of microRNAs in acrylamide toxicity

The chemical compound known as Acrylamide (AA) is employed in different industries worldwide and is also found in thermal-processed food. AA has been acting as a reproductive toxicant, carcinogen, and neurotoxic in various animals, which may promote several toxic impacts in animal and human species. Up to now, various studies have focused on the harmful mechanisms and intervention actions of AA. However, the underlying mechanisms that AA and its toxic effects can exert have remained uncertain. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short, non-coding RNAs that are able to act as epigenetic regulators. These molecules can regulate a wide range of cellular and molecular processes. In this regard, it has been shown that different chemical agents can dysregulate miRNAs. To determine the possible AA targets along with mechanisms of its toxicity, it is helpful to study the alteration in the profiles of miRNA regulation following AA intake. The current research aimed to evaluate the miRNAs' mediatory roles upon the AA's toxic potentials. This review study discussed the AA, which is made within the food matrix, the way it is consumed, and the potential impacts of AA on miRNAs and its association with different cancer types and degenerative diseases. The findings of this review paper indicated that AA might be capable of altering miRNA signatures in different tissues and exerting its carcinogen effects.

Production and Inhibition of Acrylamide during Coffee Processing: A Literature Review

Coffee is the third-largest beverage with wide-scale production. It is consumed by a large number of people worldwide. However, acrylamide (AA) is produced during coffee processing, which seriously affects its quality and safety. Coffee beans are rich in asparagine and carbohydrates, which are precursors of the Maillard reaction and AA. AA produced during coffee processing increases the risk of damage to the nervous system, immune system, and genetic makeup of humans. Here, we briefly introduce the formation and harmful effects of AA during coffee processing, with a focus on the research progress of technologies to control or reduce AA generation at different processing stages. Our study aims to provide different strategies for inhibiting AA formation during coffee processing and investigate related inhibition mechanisms.

Exposure to acrylamide induces zygotic genome activation defects of mouse embryos

Acrylamide (ACR) is an important chemical raw material for wastewater treatment, paper industry and textile industry, which is widely exposed from occupational, environmental and dietary situation. ACR has neurotoxicity, genotoxicity, potential carcinogenicity and reproductive toxicity. Recent study indicates that ACR affected oocyte maturation quality. In the present study, we reported the effects of ACR exposure on zygotic genome activation (ZGA) in embryos and its related mechanism. Our results showed that ACR treatment caused 2-cell arrest in mouse embryos, indicating the failure of ZGA, which was confirmed by decreased global transcription levels and aberrant expression of ZGA-related and maternal factors. We found that histone modifications such as H3K9me3, H3K27me3 and H3K27ac levels were altered, and this might be due to the occurrence of DNA damage, showing with positive γ-H2A.X signal. Moreover, mitochondrial dysfunction and high levels of ROS were detected in ACR treated embryos, indicating that ACR induced oxidative stress, and this might further cause abnormal distribution of endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus and lysosomes. In conclusion, our results indicated that ACR exposure disrupted ZGA by inducing mitochondria-based oxidative stress, which further caused DNA damage, aberrant histone modifications and organelles in mouse embryos.

Changes of polyphenols and antioxidants of arabica coffee varieties during roasting

Coffee is the most consumed beverage in the world after water. Multiple benefits are attributed to it in human health due to the presence of antioxidant compounds, whose content depends, among other factors, on the processing conditions of the coffee bean. The objective of this study was to determine the kinetics of polyphenols and antioxidants during the roasting of three varieties of arabica coffee. For this, we worked with varieties of coffee, Catimor, Caturra, and Bourbon, from the province of La Convencion, Cuzco, Peru. The samples were roasted in an automatic induction roaster, and 12 samples were taken during roasting (at 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, and 21 min of roasting) in triplicate. For green coffee beans, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, moisture and apparent density were determined. The change in polyphenol content was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and antioxidant activity was determined using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis- (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS⁺) free radical capture technique during roasting. Polyphenol and antioxidant contents increased until minute 5 of roasting and then decreased until minute 20, and in some cases, there were slight increases in the last minute. The model that best described the changes in these bioactive compounds was the cubic model (R ² 0.634 and 0.921), and the best fits were found for the Bourbon variety, whose green grain had more homogeneous characteristics. The changes in the relative abundances of nine phenolic compounds were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In conclusion, roasting modifies phenolic compounds and antioxidants differently in the coffee varieties studied. The content of some phenols increases, and in other cases, it decreases as the roasting time increases. The roasting process negatively affects the bioactive compounds and increases the fracturability of Arabica coffee beans, elements that should be taken into account at the moment of developing roasting models in the industry.

Coffee Silverskin: Chemical and Biological Risk Assessment and Health Profile for Its Potential Use in Functional Foods

The coffee supply chain is characterized by a complex network with many critical and unsustainable points producing a huge amount of waste products. Among these, coffee silverskin (CS), the only by-product of the coffee roasting phase, has an interesting chemical profile that suggests potential use as a food ingredient. However, few data on its safety are available. For this reason, the purpose of the study was to assess the occurrence of chemical and biological contaminants in CS, and the resulting risk due to its potential consumption. Essential, toxic, and rare earth elements, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), process contaminants, ochratoxin A (OTA), and pesticides residues were analyzed in three classes of samples (Coffea arabica CS, Coffea robusta CS, and their blend). Furthermore, total mesophilic bacteria count (TMBC) at 30 °C, Enterobacteriaceae, yeasts, and molds was evaluated. The risk assessment was based upon the hazard index (HI) and lifetime cancer risk (LTCR). In all varieties and blends, rare earth elements, pesticides, process contaminants, OTA, and PAHs were not detected except for chrysene, phenanthrene, and fluoranthene, which were reported at low concentrations only in the arabica CS sample. Among essential and toxic elements, As was usually the most representative in all samples. Microorganisms reported a low load, although arabica and robusta CS showed lower contamination than mixed CS. Instead, the risk assessment based on the potential consumption of CS as a food ingredient did not show either non-carcinogenic or carcinogenic risk. Overall, this study provides adequate evidence to support the safety of this by-product for its potential use in functional foods.

Safest Roasting Times of Coffee To Reduce Carcinogenicity

ABSTRACT

Roasting coffee results in not only the creation of carcinogens such as acrylamide, furan, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons but also the elimination of carcinogens in raw coffee beans, such as endotoxins, preservatives, or pesticides, by burning off. However, it has not been determined whether the concentrations of these carcinogens are sufficient to make either light or dark roast coffee more carcinogenic in a living organism. An Ames test was conducted on light, medium, and dark roast coffee from three origins. We found that lighter roast coffee shows higher mutagenicity, which is reduced to the control level in dark roast coffee varieties, indicating that the roasting process is not increasing mutagenic potential but is beneficial to eliminating the existing carcinogens in raw coffee beans. This result suggests that dark roast coffee is safer and promotes further studies of the various carcinogens in raw coffee that have been burned off.

HIGHLIGHTS

Formation and Identification of Six Amino Acid - Acrylamide Adducts and Their Cytotoxicity Toward Gastrointestinal Cell Lines

Acrylamide (AA) is a food contaminant, and amino acids are suggested to mitigate its toxicity by forming adducts. The emergence of acrylamide adducts may cause underestimation of acrylamide exposure level as well as trigger new safety problems. Based on the acrylamide elimination capability of four amino acids, this study chemically synthesized six amino acid-acrylamide adducts. Their structures were analyzed, followed by content determination in 10 commercially baking foods. The Michael adduct formed by one molecule of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and acrylamide was most abundant in foods among six adducts. Furthermore, it markedly decreased the cytotoxicity of acrylamide in Caco-2 cells and GES-1 cells. This finding suggests that amino acids can be used to reduce acrylamide level in processed foods and mitigate its hazardous effects after intake.

Acrylamide in widely consumed foods - a review

Acrylamide (AA) is considered genotoxic, neurotoxic and a 'probable human carcinogen'. It is included in group 2 A of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The formation of AA occurs when starch-based foods are subjected to temperatures higher than 120 °C in an atmosphere with very low water content. The aim of this review is to shed light on the toxicological aspects of AA, showing its regulatory evolution, and describing the most interesting mitigation techniques for each food category involved, with a focus on compliance with EU legislation in the various classes of consumer products of industrial origin in Europe.

A novel single step solid-phase extraction combined with bromine derivatization method for rapid determination of acrylamide in coffee and its products by stable isotope dilution ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem triple quadrupole electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

This work aimed to establish a novel determination method for acrylamide in coffee and its products by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Acrylamide in samples were prepared by a single-step solid-phase extraction clean-up using mixed mode sorbents. The bromine derivatization efficiency of acrylamide and its internal standard were improved at an acidic condition. After derivation, the retention capability of acrylamide and its resistance to interference were significantly improved. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were 1.2 and 4 μg/kg for roasted and instant coffees, while they were 0.24 and 0.8 μg/kg for ready-to-drink coffees. The average recoveries for acrylamide ranged from 99.3 to 102.2% in coffee and its products. All the results showed that the developed method was simple, quick, specific and suitable for screening and determination of acrylamide in batch samples of coffee and its products.

Review on factors affecting coffee volatiles: from seed to cup

The objective of this review is to evaluate the influence of six factors on coffee volatiles. At present, the poor aroma from robusta or low-quality arabica coffee can be significantly improved by advanced technology, and this subject will continue to be further studied. On the other hand, inoculating various starter cultures in green coffee beans has become a popular research direction for promoting coffee aroma and flavor. Several surveys have indicated that shade and altitude can affect the content of coffee aroma precursors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which remain to be fully elucidated. The emergence of the new roasting process has greatly enriched the aroma composition of coffee. Cold-brew coffee is one of the most popular trends in coffee extraction currently, and its influence on coffee aroma is worthy of in-depth and detailed study. Omics technology will be one of the most important means to analyze coffee aroma components and their quality formation mechanism. A better understanding of the effect of each parameter on VOCs would assist coffee researchers and producers in the optimal selection of post-harvest parameters that favor the continuous production of flavorful and top-class coffee beans and beverages. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Acrylamide in Baby Foods: A Probabilistic Exposure Assessment

Acrylamide (also known as 2-propenamide) (AA) is a toxicant that develops in food during high-temperature cooking, and its occurrence is common in biscuits and baked snacks. AA is known for its in vivo neurotoxic and carcinogenic effects, and it is considered a potential carcinogen for humans. Infants may be exposed to AA as early as during weaning through baked food such as biscuits. This study set out to ascertain the concentration of AA in food products intended for infants to assess the dietary exposure to this food contaminant. AA levels were determined through GC/MS and bromination, and dietary exposure was evaluated by a probabilistic method based on Monte Carlo simulation. The results showed that the probability of a carcinogenic exposure is 94%, 92%, and 87%, respectively, for 6-, 12-, and 18-months infants, suggesting the need to delay the introduction of baked products in the diet of weaned infants. It should be noted, however, that these conclusions were drawn considering the biscuits as the primary source of exposure.

Coffee intake and trace element blood concentrations in association with renal cell cancer among smokers

PURPOSE

To determine whether higher coffee intake may reduce the risk of renal cell cancer (RCC) associated with lead (Pb) and other heavy metals with known renal toxicity.

METHODS

We conducted a nested case-control study of male smokers (136 RCC cases and 304 controls) within the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study. Cases diagnosed with RCC at 5 or more years following cohort enrollment were matched to controls on age (± 7 years) and whole blood draw date (± 30 days). Conditional logistic regression (using two-sided tests) was used to test for main effects and additive models of effect modification.

RESULTS

After a mean follow-up of 16.3 years, coffee consumption was not significantly associated with renal cell cancer risk, when adjusting for blood concentrations of Cd, Hg, and Pb and RCC risk factors (age, smoking, BMI, and systolic blood pressure) (p-trend, 0.134). The association with above median blood Pb and RCC (HR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.06, 2.85) appeared to be modified by coffee consumption, such that RCC risk among individuals with both increased coffee intake and higher blood lead concentration were more than threefold higher RCC risk (HR = 3.40, 95% CI 1.62, 7.13; p-trend, 0.003).

CONCLUSION

Contrary to our initial hypothesis, this study suggests that heavy coffee consumption may increase the previously identified association between higher circulating lead (Pb) concentrations and increased RCC risk. Improved assessment of exposure, including potential trace element contaminants in coffee, is needed.

Inhibition Kinetics and Mechanism of Glutathione and Quercetin on Acrylamide in the Low-Moisture Maillard Systems

ABSTRACT

The inhibition kinetics of glutathione (GSH) and quercetin on acrylamide (AA) formation in the low-moisture Maillard systems were investigated at 180°C. The inhibition rates in an equal-molar asparagine-glucose (Asn-Glc) system were higher than those in an asparagine-fructose (Asn-Fru) system, and the maximum inhibition rates for AA were 57.75% with 10-2 mol L-1 GSH and 51.38% with 10-1 mol L-1 quercetin. The Logistic-Index dynamic model and two consecutive simplified first-order kinetic models were well fitted to the changes of AA in the Asn-Glc system. The kinetics results suggested that the predominant inhibition effect of GSH on AA could be attributed to the competitive reaction between GSH and Asn for the consumption of Glc. The kinetic results and high-pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of the inhibitory effect of quercetin on AA indicated that quercetin might mitigate AA through the binding reaction of quercetin decomposition products and Maillard intermediate products. These experimental results provide theoretical data that may be useful to control the formation of AA during food thermal processing.

HIGHLIGHTS

Comprehensive Study on the Acrylamide Content of High Thermally Processed Foods

Acrylamide (AA) formation in starch-based processed foods at elevated temperatures is a serious health issue as it is a toxic and carcinogenic substance. However, the formation of more AA entangles with modern-day fast food industries, and a considerable amount of this ingredient is being consumed by fast food eaters inadvertently throughout the world. This article reviews the factors responsible for AA formation pathways, investigation techniques of AA, toxicity, and health-related issues followed by mitigation methods that have been studied in the past few decades comprehensively. Predominantly, AA and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) are produced via the Maillard reaction and can be highlighted as the major heat-induced toxins formulated in bread and bakery products. Epidemiological studies have shown that there is a strong relationship between AA accumulation in the body and the increased risk of cancers. The scientific community is still in a dearth of technology in producing AA-free starch-protein-fat-based thermally processed food products. Therefore, this paper may facilitate the food scientists to their endeavor in developing mitigation techniques pertaining to the formation of AA and HMF in baked foods in the future.

Coffee in cancer chemoprevention: an updated review

INTRODUCTION

Chemoprevention of cancer refers to the use of natural or synthetic compounds to abolish or perturb a variety of steps in tumor initiation, promotion, and progression. This can be realized through different mechanisms, including activation of free radical scavenging enzymes, control of chronic inflammation, and downregulation of specific signaling pathways.

AREAS COVERED

The goal of this article is to critically review recent evidence on association between coffee and prevention of different types of cancer, with particular emphasis on the molecular mechanisms and the bioactive compounds involved in its anticancer activity.

EXPERT OPINION

Coffee is a mixture of different compounds able to decrease the risk of many types of cancer. However, its potential anticancer activity is not completely understood. Hundreds of biologically active components such as caffeine, chlorogenic acid, diterpenes are contained in coffee. Further research is needed to fully elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the anticancer effects of coffee and fully understand the role of different confounding factors playing a role in its reported anticancer activity.

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.

Review of Research into the Determination of Acrylamide in Foods

Acrylamide (AA) is produced by high-temperature processing of high carbohydrate foods, such as frying and baking, and has been proved to be carcinogenic. Because of its potential carcinogenicity, it is very important to detect the content of AA in foods. In this paper, the conventional instrumental analysis methods of AA in food and the new rapid immunoassay and sensor detection are reviewed, and the advantages and disadvantages of various analysis technologies are compared, in order to provide new ideas for the development of more efficient and practical analysis methods and detection equipment.