The effect of in-package cold plasma on the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in charcoal-grilled beef steak with different oils or fats

Simultaneous mitigation of heterocyclic aromatic amines and advanced glycation end products in roasted beef patties by plasma-activated water: Effects and mechanisms

Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are hazardous substances produced when food is heated. In this study, the ability of plasma-activated water (PAW) to simultaneously mitigate production of HAAs and AGEs in roasted beef patties was investigated. Assays of free radicals, lipid peroxidation, and active carbonyls were used to analyze the mechanisms. PAW treatment decreased the contents of free HAAs, free AGEs, bound HAAs, and bound AGEs to 12.65 ng/g, 0.10 μg/g, 297.74 ng/g, and 4.32 μg/g, with the inhibition rates of 23.88%, 23.08%, 11.02%, and 8.47%, respectively. PAW treatment decreased HAAs and AGEs and mitigated their increase during storage. The decrease of HAAs and AGEs in PAW-treated samples was correlated with the enhancement of antioxidant capacity. The increase of free radical scavenging ability by PAW treatment led to the decrease of lipid peroxidation and the decrease of active carbonyls, HAAs, and AGEs in meat products.

Benzo (a) pyrene in infant foods: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and health risk assessment

Exposure of infants to chemicals during their development will have major effects on their health. One of the major exposures of infants to chemicals is through their food. The main structure of infant food is milk, which is high in fat. There is a possibility of accumulation of environmental pollution, including benzo (a) pyrene (BaP). In this systematic review, the amount of BaP in infant milk was surveyed for this purpose. The chosen keywords were: benzo (a) pyrene, BaP, Infant formula, dried milk, powdered milk, and baby food. A total of 46 manuscripts were found in the scientific database. After initial screening and quality assessment, 12 articles were selected for extraction of data. By meta-analysis, the total estimate of BaP in baby food was calculated to be 0.078 ± 0.006 μg/kg. Estimation of daily intake (EDI) and Hazard Quotient (HQ) for noncarcinogenic risk and Margin of exposure (MOE) for carcinogenic risk were also calculated for three age groups 0-6 months, 6-12 months, and 1-3 years. HQ was lower than 1 and MOE was more than 10,000 for three age groups. Therefore, there is no potential carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk for infant health.

Inhibitory effects of cold plasma-activated water on the generation of advanced glycation end products and methylimidazoles in cookies and mechanistic evaluation using electron paramagnetic resonance

The inhibitory effects of cold plasma-activated water (PAW) on the formation of AGEs and methylimidazoles in cookies was examined. The results showed that different PAW (parameters: 50 W-50 s, 50 W-100 s, 50 W-150 s, 100 W-50 s, 100 W-100 s, and 100 W-150 s) reduced the contents of AGEs and methylimidazoles, in which the maximum inhibition rates were 47.38% and 40.17% for free and bound AGEs and 44.16% and 40.31% for free and bound methylimidazoles, respectively. Moreover, the mechanisms associated with the elimination of carbonyl intermediates and free radicals was determined by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet/visible absorption detector (HPLC-UV/Vis). The results showed the quenching of total free radicals, alkyl free radicals, and HO· by PAW, leading to the suppression of glyoxal and methylglyoxal intermediates. These findings support PAW as a promising agent to enhance the safety of cookies.

A review of hazards in meat products: Multiple pathways, hazards and mitigation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are stable carcinogens that are widely distributed in the environment and food, and humans are exposed to PAHs primarily through the respiratory tracts, dermal contact, and dietary intake. Meat products are an essential part of the human diet, and the formation of PAHs during meat processing is unavoidable. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of PAHs in meat products can be a contribution to the minimization of human exposure dose. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive description of the toxicological analysis of PAHs intake and the various production pathways. The distribution of different PAHs in various meat products, including poultry and aquatic products, is analyzed. The discussion focuses on controlling PAHs through the use of endogenous marinades and antioxidants as well as reducing exogenous particulate matter-PAHs attachment. In addition, potential strategies for PAHs reduction and possible directions for future research are proposed.

Relationship between Flavonoid Chemical Structures and Their Antioxidant Capacity in Preventing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Formation in Heated Meat Model System

The relationship between the chemical structures of six flavonoids and their abilities to inhibit the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a heated meat model system was investigated. The PAH8 forming in samples was analyzed by using QuEChERS coupled GC-MS. Inhibitory effects of PAHs were myricetin (72.1%) > morin (55.7%) > quercetin (57.3%) > kaempferol (49.9%) > rutin (32.7%) > taxifolin (30.2%). The antioxidant activities of these flavonoids, assessed through (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging activity assay (DPPH), [2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)] free radical scavenging activity assay (ABTS) and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) assays, exhibited a significant negative correlation with PAH reduction. Notably, myricetin that contained three hydroxyl groups on the B-ring, along with a 2,3-double bond in conjugation with a 4-keto moiety on the C-ring, demonstrated strong antioxidant properties and free radical scavenging abilities, which significantly contributed to their ability to inhibit PAH formation. However, rutin and taxifolin, substituted at the C-3 position of the C-ring, decreased the PAH inhibitory activity. The ABTS assay proved the most effective in demonstrating the correlation between flavonoid antioxidant properties and their capacity to inhibit PAH formation in heated meat model systems. Thus, the inhibition of PAHs can be achieved by dietary flavonoids according to their chemical structures.

Cholesterol Oxidation Products: Potential Adverse Effect and Prevention of Their Production in Foods

Cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) are a group of substances formed during food processing. COPs in diet is a health concern because they may affect human health in association with the risk of various diseases including atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, age-related macular degeneration, diabetes, and chronic gastrointestinal inflammatory colitis. Production of COPs in foods can be affected by many factors such as temperature, pH, light, oxygen, water, carbohydrates, fatty acids, proteins, and metal cations. The key issue is preventing its generation in foods. Some COPs can also be produced in vivo by both nonenzymatic and enzymatic-catalyzed oxidation reactions. Currently, a number of natural antioxidants such as catechins, flavonoids, and other polyphenols have been proven to inhibit the generation of COPs. In addition, measures taken during food processing can also minimize the production of COPs, such as the Maillard reaction and marinating food with plant polyphenol-rich seasonings. In conclusion, a comprehensive approach encompassing the suppression on COPs generation and implementation of processing measures is imperative to safeguard human health against the production of COPs in the food chain.

Effect of curcumin on the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in grilled chicken wings

Organic macromolecules form carcinogenic and toxic substances such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) under high temperature baking. Thus, this study investigated the effects and inhibition pathways of different curcumin concentrations (0.01, 0.05, 0.25, 0.3 mg/g) on seven PAHs in grilled chicken wings. The results demonstrated that curcumin concentrations displayed positive effects in inhibiting the formation of PAHs (16%-72%), increasing the total phenolic content (397.5-1934.4 mg/g) and free radical scavenging activity, and reducing TBARS values (31.15%-47.76%) and fatty acid content. Additionally, PCA and Pearson correlation analyses indicated that lipid oxidation (r = 0.42) and unsaturated fatty acids (r = 0.55) could promote the production of PAHs, while DPPH, ABTS and TPC could counteract their facilitation of PAHs. In conclusion, the addition of appropriate amounts of curcumin before grilling is a feasible strategy to reduce fat oxidation levels and the number of free radicals for the purpose of limiting PAHs content.

Impacts of Cold Plasma Technology on Sensory, Nutritional and Safety Quality of Food: A Review

As an emerging non-thermal food processing technology, cold plasma (CP) technology has been widely applied in food preservation due to its high efficiency, greenness and lack of chemical residues. Recent studies have indicated that CP technology also has an impressing effect on improving food quality. This review summarized the impact of CP on the functional composition and quality characteristics of various food products. CP technology can prevent the growth of spoilage microorganisms while maintaining the physical and chemical properties of the food. It can maintain the color, flavor and texture of food. CP can cause changes in protein structure and function, lipid oxidation, vitamin and monosaccharide degradation, starch modification and the retention of phenolic substances. Additionally, it also degrades allergens and toxins in food. In this review, the effects of CP on organoleptic properties, nutrient content, safety performance for food and the factors that cause these changes were concluded. This review also highlights the current application limitations and future development directions of CP technology in the food industry. This review enables us to more comprehensively understand the impacts of CP technology on food quality and promotes the healthy application of CP technology in the food industry.

The Effect of Partial Substitution of Beef Tallow on Selected Physicochemical Properties, Fatty Acid Profile and PAH Content of Grilled Beef Burgers

The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of partial replacement of beef tallow with sunflower, canola, linseed, olive oil and milk fat on physical properties, oxidation stability, fatty acid profile and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) content of beef burgers. Studies have shown a strong relationship between the fatty acid profile and the PAH content (especially of the heavy PAHs). The partial replacement of beef tallow with oils and milk fat (MF) contributed to a change in the fatty acid profile and a reduction in the hardness of the burgers. The highest PAH content was found in samples with canola oil (CO), which had the highest levels of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and in the control group (CON) without fat substitution, which had the highest levels of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and trans conformations. Substitution of animal fat with vegetable oils contributed to a change in the color of the burgers’ surface, as there was a statistically significant increase in the L* color component and a decrease in the a* component. The burgers with canola oil (CO) and linseed oil (LO) were the most susceptible to oxidation, whereas the burgers with reduced fat content (CON_LOW FAT) were the most stable in terms of oxidation, where the malondialdehyde (MDA) content was 32.8% lower compared with the control group (CON). The studies confirm that partial replacement of beef tallow with vegetable oils and milk fat and reduction in fat content in burgers to be grilled can be an effective way to change their fatty acid profile and reduce the cyclization reaction of organic compounds leading to the formation of PAH. Correlation coefficient analysis showed that there is a relationship between fatty acid profile and the presence of selected PAHs in grilled beef burgers. The results of this study indicate that replacing beef tallow with vegetable oils is a promising approach in designing meat products with controlled PAH content.