Acrylamide occurrence in Keribo: Ethiopian traditional fermented beverage

Traditional food processing and Acrylamide formation: A review

Tradition methods that are applied for the processing of food commonly use relatively high temperature and long cooking time for the preparation of foods. This relatively high temperature and long processing time of foods especially in the presence of carbohydrate is highly associated with the formation of acrylamide. Acrylamide is a process contaminant that is highly toxic to humans and remains as a global issue. The occurrence of acrylamide in traditional foods is a major public health problem. Studies that are conducted in different countries indicated that traditionally processed foods are highly linked to the formation of acrylamide. Therefore, understanding the factors influencing acrylamide formation during traditional food processing techniques is crucial for ensuring food safety and minimizing exposure to this harmful chemical compound. Several research reports indicate that proper food processing is the most effective solution to address food safety concerns by identifying foods susceptible to acrylamide formation. This review aims to provide an overview of traditional food processing techniques and their potential contribution to the formation acrylamide and highlight the importance of mitigating its formation in food products. The information obtained in this review may be of great value to future researchers, policymakers, society, and manufacturers.

A review of the production, quality, and safety of traditionally fermented cereal-based alcoholic beverages in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, a diverse array of cereal-based alcoholic beverages is being prepared and consumed. These traditional fermented drinks are distinct to specific regions and are prepared by locals using locally available raw materials according to cultural traditions. Notable among these are Tella, Areki, Keribo, Borde, and Shamita, renowned for their nutritional benefits and their role in ensuring food security. This paper explores existing literature regarding the production, quality, and safety of traditional cereal-based alcoholic beverages in Ethiopia. Despite the widespread consumption of these beverages, they have yet to be commercialized, mainly due to their perceived low quality. The uncommercialized processes and products demand more attention, particularly in light of the country's inflationary pressures. Additionally, these traditional fermented beverages significantly enhance health due to the presence of bioactive compounds and their nutritional value. Standardizing and modernizing production methods by integrating scientific knowledge, such as optimizing fermentation practices, is essential to fully capitalize on these traditional beverages. Equipping local producers with this knowledge can facilitate the transition to larger scale production. Furthermore, continued research is essential to maintaining overall quality and safety standards. Therefore, it is crucial to concentrate on enhancing the nutritional value and quality of traditional cereal-based beverages in the future. By illuminating these aspects, this review aims to enhance understanding of the traditional Ethiopian alcoholic beverage industry and its potential for elevating quality and safety standards. Moreover, the review explores these beverages' cultural significance, consumption patterns, and associated health risks.

The Ethiopian snack food ('Kolo'): Existing knowledge and research directions on processing practices, quality and consumption

'Kolo' is an Ethiopian well-roasted and dehulled barely snack food eaten alone or mixed with other roasted grains with a relatively long shelf life. It is an ancient and staple Ethiopian snack food that is being introduced around the globe. Traditionally, Kolo has been prepared by Ethiopian mothers. However, there is a scarcity of documented information about the nutritional profile, consumption status and effect of processing conditions on quality of Kolo. Therefore, the aim of this review is to access the indigenous processing practices, consumption status and the effect of processing conditions in quality of Kolo. The review discussed in detail the raw materials, processing steps, nutritional status, anti-nutritional factors, digestability and functional properties of Kolo from publications from the last thirty years. Due to the high temperature processing condition, the presence of acrylamide is highly likely and this may affect the safety of Kolo. The anti-nutritional factors in Kolo may affect the nutritional quality of Kolo due to the inaccessibility of nutrients. This information could have a significant contribution for future researchers, policy makers, society and producers. In conclusion, there is a need to get more tangible information about the quality and safety of Kolo through well designed scientific research to safeguard the wellbeing of the society.

Electronic Prediction of Chemical Contaminants in Aroma of Brewed Roasted Coffee and Quantification of Acrylamide Levels

The aim of this research was to apply an electronic device as indirect predictive technology to evaluate toxic chemical compounds in roasted espresso coffee. Fresh coffee beans were subjected to different thermal treatments and analyzed to determine volatile organic compounds, content of acrylamide and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, sensory characteristics and electronic nose data. In total, 70 different volatile compounds were detected and grouped into 15 chemical families. The greatest percentage of these compounds were furans, pyrazines, pyridines and aldehydes. The positive aroma detected had the intensity of coffee odor and a roasted aroma, whereas the negative aroma was related to a burnt smell. A linear relationship between the toxic substances and the sensory defect was established. A high sensory defect implied a lower content of acrylamide and a higher content of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. Finally, electronic signals were also correlated with the sensory defect. This relationship allowed us to predict the presence of these contaminants in the roasted coffee beverage with an indirect method by using this electronic device. Thus, this device may be useful to indirectly evaluate the chemical contaminants in coffee beverages according to their sensory characteristics.

Dietary acrylamide-linked burden of cancers in four sub-sahara African countries: A review and data synthesis

Acrylamide (AA) is a food processing byproduct that forms at high temperatures and is classified as a probable human carcinogen. Previous studies have linked AA to kidney, uterus, and ovary cancer burdens, but its study in African countries remains underexplored. This study systematically used six recent articles on dietary AA concentration data from scholarly databases using specific search terms. We also collected health metrics secondary data from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation and other sources for the period 2015-2019. We used a Monte-Carlo simulation to integrate the dietary AA exposure, risks, and health metrics to estimate the cancer burdens. The results showed that the modal healthy life years lost ranged from 0.00488 (Ghana) to 0.218 (Ethiopia) per 100,000 population. The median statistic indicated 1.2 and 26.10 healthy life years lost for Ghana and Ethiopia, respectively, due to the three cancer types. The four-country study areas' total disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were 63.7 healthy life-year losses. Despite the limitations of the non-standardized age-related food consumption data and the few inclusive articles, the probabilistic approach may account for the uncertainties and provide valid conclusions.

Detection of the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural content in roasted coffee using machine learning based on near-infrared spectroscopy

Since 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) is carcinogenic to humans, its detection in foods is essential. This study performed near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy (11998-4000 cm^-1) to determine the 5-HMF content in roasted coffee. The random forest (RF) was used to extract important wavenumbers, after which three machine learning models (ordinary least square (OLS), support vector machine (SVM), and RF) were established for the prediction. RF obtained the best prediction results (R_c² = 0.98 and R_p² = 0.92) compared with OLS and SVM and effectively extracted the important wavenumbers (11667 cm^-1, 11666 cm^-1, 10905 cm^-1, 7096 cm^-1, 7095 cm^-1, 7094 cm^-1, 7093 cm^-1, 7092 cm^-1, 5054 cm^-1, 5026 cm^-1, 5025 cm^-1, and 5024 cm^-1). The results demonstrated that machine learning models based on NIR spectroscopy could provide a non-destructive approach for determining 5-HMF content in roasted coffee.

Quality Formation of Adzuki Bean Baked: From Acrylamide to Volatiles under Microwave Heating and Drum Roasting

Baked adzuki beans are rich in tantalizing odor and nutritional components, such as protein, dietary fiber, vitamin B, and minerals. To analyze the final quality of baked beans, the acrylamide and volatile formation of adzuki beans were investigated under the conditions of microwave baking and drum roasting. The results indicate that the acrylamide formation in baked adzuki beans obeys the exponential growth function during the baking process, where a rapid increase in acrylamide content occurs at a critical temperature and low moisture content. The critical temperature that leads to a sudden increase in acrylamide content is 116.5 °C for the moisture content of 5.6% (w.b.) in microwave baking and 91.6 °C for the moisture content of 6.1% (w.b.) in drum roasting. The microwave-baked adzuki beans had a higher formation of the kinetics of acrylamide than that of drum-roasted beans due to the microwave volumetric heating mode. The acrylamide content in baked adzuki beans had a significant correlation with their color due to the Maillard reaction. A color difference of 11.1 and 3.6 may be introduced to evaluate the starting point of the increase in acrylamide content under microwave baking and drum roasting, respectively. Heating processes, including microwave baking and drum roasting, for adzuki beans generate characteristic volatile compounds such as furan, pyrazine, ketone, alcohols, aldehydes, esters, pyrroles, sulfocompound, phenols, and pyridine. Regarding flavor formation, beans baked via drum roasting showed better flavor quality than microwave-baked beans.

Acrylamide in non-centrifugal sugar from Latin American markets: in-house validation of an LC-MS/MS method, dietary exposure assessment and risk characterisation in Brazil and Colombia

A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method (LC-MS/MS) preceded by a rapid and simple QuEChERS-based sample preparation was developed and validated for the determination of acrylamide in non-centrifugal sugar (NCS), a solid product obtained from sugarcane juice without centrifugation, up to a concentration greater than 90 ºBrix. Adequate linearity in calibration curves, analytical selectivity and sensitivity were achieved. A limit of detection (LOD) and a limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 10 and 20 µg kg^-1, respectively, were obtained. Recoveries (84.3-107.5%) and coefficients of variation (CV<15%) for repeatability and reproducibility conditions were appropriate in intraday and interday laboratory conditions. The concentration of acrylamide was determined in 76 commercial samples of NCS from different Latin American countries and ranged from <20 to 1414 µg kg^-1. The highest mean acrylamide amounts were found in samples from Peru, Ecuador and Colombia (636, 446 and 401 µg kg^-1, respectively). Considering the form of the product, the highest average levels were found in granulated NCS (517 µg kg^-1) when compared to block (294 µg kg^-1). Within the Colombian samples, organic NCS, made with natural flocculant, presented a higher acrylamide mean concentration (721 µg kg^-1) than conventional samples (363 µg kg^-1). Although the Margin of Exposure (MOE) values for neurotoxicity suggested that the estimated intakes in Brazil and Colombia are not a concern, MOEs obtained for neoplastic effects raised attention.

Dietary and Environmental Determinants of Oesophageal Cancer in Arsi Zone, Oromia, Central Ethiopia: A Case-Control Study

PURPOSE

Oesophageal cancer is ranked 5th of all types of malignancies in Ethiopia and highly prevalent in the Arsi Zone. However, no study was conducted to elucidate the dietary and environmental determinants of oesophageal cancer in the Arsi Zone.

METHODS

A matched case-control study was conducted from June 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020. A total of 104 cases and 208 controls were interviewed. Data were collected using food frequency questionnaires (structured questionnaires). Binary and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to check the association between independent and dependent variables. Adjusted odds ratios and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals were estimated for the strength of association. Statistical significance was declared at a P-value of <0.05.

RESULTS

In multivariable logistic regression, drinking very hot coffee (AOR=5.1,[95% CI: (1.95, 13.71), drinking large volume of coffee (AOR=4.9, [95% CI: (2.03, 12.17), very hot porridge (AOR= 3.1,[95% CI: (1.38,7.03) and eating porridge fast (AOR=7.0, [95% CI: (2.48, 20.14), low intake of dairy products (AOR=6.0, [95% CI: (2.29, 15.95), cooking food in sleeping room (AOR=3.7, [95% CI: (1.22, 11.39), exposure to x-ray (AOR=9.4,[95% CI: (3.94, 22.82), nonalcohol homemade drinks (AOR=5.4,[95% CI: (1.97, 15.14), use of chemical containers (AOR=3.4, [95% CI: (1.48, 8.23) were determinants of oesophageal cancer.

CONCLUSION

Coffee temperature, coffee drinking volume, porridge consumption temperature, porridge consumption speed, dairy products intake patterns, food cooking place, x-ray exposure, nonalcohol homemade drink, and use of chemical containers were independent determinants of the increased risk of oesophageal cancer in the study community.

Cereal- and Fruit-Based Ethiopian Traditional Fermented Alcoholic Beverages

Traditional fermented alcoholic beverages are drinks produced locally using indigenous knowledge, and consumed near the vicinity of production. In Ethiopia, preparation and consumption of cereal- and fruit-based traditional fermented alcoholic beverages is very common. Tella, Borde, Shamita, Korefe, Cheka, Tej, Ogol, Booka, and Keribo are among the popular alcoholic beverages in the country. These beverages have equal market share with commercially produced alcoholic beverages. Fermentation of Ethiopian alcoholic beverages is spontaneous, natural and uncontrolled. Consequently, achieving consistent quality in the final product is the major challenge. Yeasts and lactic acid bacteria are the predominate microorganisms encountered during the fermentation of these traditional alcoholic beverages. In this paper, we undertake a review in order to elucidate the physicochemical properties, indigenous processing methods, nutritional values, functional properties, fermenting microorganisms and fermentation microbial dynamics of Ethiopian traditional alcoholic beverages. Further research will be needed in order to move these traditional beverages into large-scale production.

Optimization of the roasting conditions to lower acrylamide content and improve the nutrient composition and antioxidant properties of Coffea arabica

Roasting is the most common method of processing coffee. During roasting, aromatic compounds are generated due to various reactions, which are important for developing color, flavor and aroma. Acrylamide is an undesirable carcinogenic substance that is metabolically activated and formed during the coffee roasting process. Coffea arabica was first found in Ethiopia, and Ethiopia can produce a large volume of coffee. The major coffee-producing areas in Ethiopia are Hararghe, Sidama, Gimbi/Nekemte, Yergachefe and Limu. The primary purpose of this study was to quantify the acrylamide contents of brewed and roasted coffee collected from street coffee sellers and industrial processors found in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and optimize the roasting conditions for Sidama coffee. The acrylamide contents were determined by HPLC using a DAD at 210 nm, the antioxidant property were examined using a UV-spectrophotometer, and moisture and nutrient composition of coffee was determined using the method described by the AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Chemists). The roasting temperature and time were optimized based on the acrylamide content, nutritional composition and antioxidant property of the coffee using central composite design. The roasting temperature and time significantly affected (p<0.05) the acrylamide level, nutritional composition and antioxidant property of the coffee. The acrylamide contents of street and industrial processed powdered coffee were 346 ±19 to 701±38μg/kg and 442±14 to 906±7μg/kg, respectively. Brewed coffee from street vendors and industrial processing had acrylamide contents of 25±2 to 49±1μg/L and 63±2 to 89±4μg/L, respectively. The EC50 values for scavenging radicals for the optimized coffee ranged from 171±0 to 111±4 μg/L. The optimal roasting temperature and time were 190°C and 6 minutes, at this temperature and time the acrylamide content decreased, and the antioxidant and nutritional compositions of the coffee improved.

The Formation of Acrylamide from and Its Reduction by 3-Aminopropanamide Occur Simultaneously During Thermal Treatment

3-Aminopropanamide (3-APA) is the direct precursor of acrylamide produced in the Maillard reaction between asparagine and reducing sugars. In this research, we found that 3-APA could reduce acrylamide by the formation of adducts between acrylamide and 3-APA via Michael addition. The effects of temperature, heating duration and 3-APA/acrylamide ratio on the reduction of acrylamide were investigated. Addition of 3-APA to acrylamide at a molar ratio of 5:3 at 160 °C for 20 min reduced acrylamide by up to 47.29%. The major adduct was identified as 3,3',3'-nitrilotris, and its cytotoxicity on Caco-2 cells was evaluated to be much lower than acrylamide. The viability of Caco-2 cells retained at 88.31% and 86.43% after incubation with 16 mM 3,3',3'-nitrilotris for 24 and 48 hr, respectively, while those incubated with the same concentration of acrylamide were 23.33% and 19.12%, respectively.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

The current study reported 3-APA could reduce acrylamide through the Micheal addition reaction between 3-APA and acrylamide. The adduct showed significantly reduced cytotoxicity compared to acrylamide. The research is critical in evaluation and control of food contaminants. The results brought new insights in the area of food safety, especially in the mechanism researches on formation and mitigation of endogenous contaminants in thermal-processed foods.