Occurrence, synthesis, toxicity and detection methods for acrylamide determination in processed foods with special reference to biosensors: A review

Acrylamide, hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural in ready-to-eat foods consumed by child population: Presence, risk assessment and future perspectives

Food intake contributes to adequate growth and neurodevelopment of children. Ready-to-eat foods, frequently consumed by this population, are sources of acrylamide (AA), hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural (FF). In this sense, a review of the AA, HMF, and FF presence in ready-to-eat foods was evaluated through a systematic search to infer the risk of exposure in the child population. About 75.8%, 24.2%, and 21% of the studies found AA, HMF, and FF in ready-to-eat foods, respectively. AA is predominant in processed and ultra-processed foods, while HMF and FF are commonly found in fruit-based foods. Only 17.7% of the studies assessed the children's risk of exposure, based on the contaminant concentration in ready-to-eat food and not after gastrointestinal digestion, a more realistic measure. Therefore, with the obtained information and found gaps, it is expected that new strategies will be proposed to assess the vulnerability of the child population to these processing contaminants.

Role of galacturonic acid in acrylamide formation: Insights from structural analysis

Acrylamide (AA) is a neoformed compound in heated foods, mainly produced between asparagine (Asn) and glucose (Glc) during the Maillard reaction. Galacturonic acid (GalA), the major component of pectin, exhibits high activity in AA formation. This study investigated the pathway for AA formation between GalA and Asn. Three possible pathways were proposed: 1) The carbonyl group of GalA directly interacts with Asn to produce AA; 2) GalA undergoes an oxidative cleavage reaction to release α-dicarbonyl compounds, which subsequently leads to AA production; 3) 5-formyl-2-furancarboxylic acid, the thermal degradation product of GalA, reacts with Asn to generate AA. Structural analysis revealed that the COOH group in GalA accelerated intramolecular protonation and electron transfer processes, thereby increasing the formation of AA precursors such as decarboxylated Schiff base and α-dicarbonyl compounds, promoting AA formation. This study provides a theoretical basis and new insights into the formation and control of AA.

Towards sustainable management of polyacrylamide in soil-water environment: Occurrence, degradation, and risk

Polyacrylamide (PAM) possesses unique characteristics, including high water solubility, elevated viscosity and effective flocculation capabilities. These properties make it valuable in various sectors like agriculture, wastewater treatment, enhanced oil recovery, and mineral processing industries, contributing to a continually expanding market. Despite its widespread use globally, understanding its environmental fate at the soil-water interface remains limited. This article aims to provide an overview of the occurrence, degradation pathways, toxicity, and risks associated with PAM in the bioenvironment. The findings indicate that various degradation pathways of PAM may occur in the bioenvironment through mechanical, thermal, chemical, photocatalytic degradation, and/or biodegradation. Through a series of degradation processes, PAM initially transforms into oligomers and acrylamide (AM). Subsequently, AM may undergo biodegradation, converting into acrylic acid (AA) and other compounds such as ammonia. Notably, among these degradation intermediates, AM demonstrates high biodegradability, and the bioaccumulations of both AM and AA are not considered significant. Ensuring the sustainable use of PAM necessitates a comprehensive understanding among policymakers, scholars, and industry professionals regarding PAM, encompassing its properties, applications, degradation pathways, toxic effect on humans and the environment, and relevant regulations. Additionally, this study offers insights into future priority research directions, such as establishing of a reliable source-to-destination supply chain system, determining the maximum allowable amount for PAM in farmlands, and conducting long-term trials for the PAM-containing demolition residues.

Acrylamide in food products and the role of electrochemical biosensors in its detection: a comprehensive review

In this review, the mechanisms of acrylamide formation in food, along with aspects related to its toxicity and associated consumption risks, are investigated, highlighting the potential impact on human health. European regulations regarding acrylamide content in food products are also addressed, emphasizing the importance of monitoring and detecting this substance in nutrition, by public health protection measures. The primary objective of the research is to explore and analyze innovative methods for detecting acrylamide in food, with a particular focus on electrochemical biosensors. This research direction is motivated by the need to develop rapid, sensitive, and efficient monitoring techniques for this toxic compound in food products, considering the associated consumption risks. The research has revealed several significant results. Studies have shown that electrochemical biosensors based on hemoglobin exhibited increased sensitivity and low detection limits, capable of detecting very low concentrations of acrylamide in processed foods. Additionally, it has been found that the use of functionalized nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles, has led to the improvement of electrochemical biosensor performance in acrylamide detection. The integration of these technological innovations and functionalization strategies has enhanced the sensitivity, specificity, and stability of biosensors in measuring acrylamides. Thus, the results of this research offer promising perspectives for the development of precise and efficient methods for monitoring acrylamides in food, contributing to the improvement of food quality control and the protection of consumer health.

A ratiometric fluorescent "off-on" sensor for acrylamide detection in toast based on red-emitting copper nanoclusters stabilized by bovine serum albumin

Acrylamide, as a Class 2A carcinogen, poses serious threats to human health. To achieve rapid and accurate determination of acrylamide in food, a ratiometric fluorescent "off-on" sensor was designed by incorporating red-emitting copper nanoclusters and glutathione. Copper nanoclusters with bimodal emission at 395 nm and 650 nm (excited at 310 nm) were synthesized by using bovine serum albumin as the ligand and ascorbic acid as the reductant. With glutathione addition, the fluorescence intensity at 650 nm gradually decreased, while the case at 395 nm slightly increased. The quenched fluorescence at 650 nm was subsequently restored by acrylamide through thiol-ene Michael addition reaction between acrylamide and glutathione. The constructed sensor showed excellent performance towards acrylamide detection in the range of 5-300 μM with a detection limit of 1.48 μM, and was further applied to real-sample detection of acrylamide in toast and exhibited good recoveries (90.29-101.30 %), indicating potential applications of this sensor.

Detection of acrylamide in food based on MIL-glucose oxidase cascade colorimetric aptasensor

BACKGROUND

Maillard reaction involves the polymerization, condensation, and other reactions between compounds containing free amino groups and reducing sugars or carbonyl compounds during heat processing. This process endows unique flavors and colors to food, while it can also produce numerous hazards. Acrylamide (AAm) is one of Maillard's hazards with neurotoxicity and carcinogenicity, these effects can trigger mutations and alternations in gene expression in human cells and accelerate organ aging. An accurate and reliable acrylamide detection method with high sensitivity and specificity for future regulatory activities is urgently needed.

RESULTS

Herein, we constructed a colorimetric aptasensor with the hybridization of MIL-glucose oxidase (MGzyme)-cDNA and magnetic nanoparticle-aptamer (MNP-Apt) to specifically detect AAm. The incorporation of MB-Apt and AAm released MGzyme-cDNA in the supernatant, took the supernatant out, with the addition of glucose and TMB, MGzyme would oxidize glucose, the resulting •OH facilitated the oxidation of colorless TMB to blue ox-TMB. The absorbance value at 652 nm, which indicates the characteristic absorption peak of ox-TMB, exhibited a proportion to the concentration of AAm. MGzyme avoided the addition of harmful intermediate H2O2 and created an acid microenvironment for the catalytic reaction. MNP-Apt possessed the advantages of high specificity and simplified separation. Under optimal conditions, this method displayed a linear range of 0.01-100 μM with the limit of detection of 1.53 nM. With the spiked analysis data cross-verified by ELISA kit, this aptasensor was proven to specifically detect AAm at low concentrations.

SIGNIFICANCE

This colorimetric aptasensor was the integration of aptamer and the enzyme-cascade system, which could broaden the applicable range of enzyme-cascade system, break the limits of specific detection of substrates, eliminate the need for harmful intermediates, improve the reaction efficiency, implement the specific detection, whilst enabling the accurate detection of AAm. Given these remarkable performances, this method has shown significant potential in the field of food safety inspection.

Biosensors for the detection of pathogenic bacteria: current status and future perspectives

Pathogenic microorganisms pose significant threats to human health, food safety and environmental integrity. Rapid and accurate detection of these pathogens is essential to mitigate their impact. Fast, sensitive detection methods such as biosensors also play a critical role in preventing outbreaks and controlling their spread. In recent years, biosensors have emerged as a revolutionary technology for pathogen detection. This review aims to present the current developments in biosensor technology, investigate the methods by which these developments are used in the detection of pathogenic bacteria and highlight future perspectives on the subject.

A label-free aptasensor for colorimetric detection of food toxin: Mediation of catalytically active gold nanozymes and smartphone imaging strategy

A portable colorimetric aptasensor was developed on the surface of a plastic sheet for on-site detection of acrylamide. The mechanism of aptasensor is based on the disruption of the aptamer complex with its complementary strand on the sensing zone, and subsequently, the catalytic activity of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for the reduction process of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) in the presence of sodium borohydride (NaBH4). A yellow-to-colorless change of the sample solution revealed the target presence, easily discernible by the naked eye. The acrylamide quantification was accomplished using the smartphone imaging readout technique. The aptasensor detected the acrylamide concentration in the range of 0.01-500 nmol L-1 with a detection limit of 0.0024 nmol L-1. Coffee, potato chips, bread, and lake water samples were successfully analyzed by the aptasensor for their acrylamide content. The introduced aptasensor can pave a facile, cost-effective, portable, and user-friendly sensing tool for food safety control and environmental monitoring.

Dual functional roles of nutritional additives in nutritional fortification and safety of thermally processed food: Potential, limitations, and perspectives

The Maillard reaction (MR) has been established to be a paramount contributor to the characteristic sensory property of thermally processed food products. Meanwhile, MR also gives rise to myriads of harmful byproducts (HMPs) (e.g., advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and acrylamide). Nutritional additives have attracted increasing attention in recent years owing to their potential to simultaneously improve nutritional quality and attenuate HMP formation. In this manuscript, a brief overview of various nutritional additives (vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids, dietary fibers, and miscellaneous micronutrients) in heat-processed food is provided, followed by a summary of the formation mechanisms of AGEs and acrylamide highlighting the potential crosstalk between them. The main body of the manuscript is on the capability of nutritional additives to modulate AGE and acrylamide formation besides their traditional roles as nutritional enhancers. Finally, limitations/concerns associated with their use to attenuate dietary exposure to HMPs and future perspectives are discussed. Literature data support that through careful control of the addition levels, certain nutritional additives possess promising potential for simultaneous improvement of nutritional value and reduction of AGE and acrylamide content via multiple action mechanisms. Nonetheless, there are some major concerns that may limit their wide applications for achieving such dual functions, including influence on sensory properties of food products, potential overestimation of nutrition enhancement, and introduction of hazardous alternative reaction products or derivatives. These could be overcome through comprehensive assay of dose-response relationships and systematic evaluation of the diverse combinations from the same and/or different categories of nutritional additives to establish synergistic mixtures.

Toxicity, metabolism, and mitigation strategies of acrylamide: a comprehensive review

Acrylamide, a food-borne chemical toxicant, has raised global concern in recent decades. It mainly originated from reducing sugar and free amino acid interactions in the carbohydrate-rich foodstuffs heated at high temperatures. Due to the neurotoxicity and carcinogenicity of AA, the mechanism of formation, toxic effects on health, and mitigation strategies, including conventional approaches and innovative technologies, have been of great interest since its discovery in food. Potato products (especially French fries and crisps), coffee, and cereals(bread and biscuit) are renowned contributors to AA's daily intake. The best preventive methods discussed in the literature include time/temperature optimization, blanching, enzymatic treatment, yeast treatment, additives, pulsed electric fields, ultrasound, vacuum roasting, air frying, and irradiation, exhibiting a high efficacy in AA elimination in food products.

Thiol-ene click derivatization reaction coupled with ratiometric surface-enhanced Raman scattering for reproducible and accurate determination of acrylamide

Acrylamide (AA) is a carcinogen mainly ingested through food and drinking water, making its accurate determination crucial for both food safety and environmental protection. Herein, we proposed a derivatization-based ratiometric surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) method for the quantification of AA. High density Au NPs were anchored to the surface of Cu-TCPP MOF nanosheets (MOFNs) to form the SERS sensor. The abundant Raman "hot spots" at the nanogaps generated by the Au NPs and the internal standard (IS) signal provided by Cu-TCPP MOFNs improved the sensitivity and quantitative accuracy of the method. Following the thiol-ene click derivatization reaction between p-aminothiophenol (PATP) and AA, the Raman peak intensity ratio (I1080/I395) was employed to quantify AA. The linear range was 0.1 nM to 10 μM, and the limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 0.08 nM. Trace amounts of AA in food and water samples were successfully determined using this method.

From a toxin to an obesogen: a review of potential obesogenic roles of acrylamide with a mechanistic approach

Obesity and obesity-related disorders such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver have become a global health problem. It is well known that the primary cause of obesity is positive energy balance. In addition, obesity is the consequence of complex gene and environment interactions that result in excess calorie intake being stored as fat. However, it has been revealed that there are other factors contributing to the worsening of obesity. The presence of nontraditional risk factors, such as environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals, has recently been associated with obesity and comorbidities caused by obesity. The aim of this review was to examine the evidence and potential mechanisms for acrylamide having endocrine-disrupting properties contributing to obesity and obesity-related comorbidities. Recent studies have suggested that exposure to environmental endocrine-disrupting obesogens may be a risk factor contributing to the current obesity epidemic, and that one of these obesogens is acrylamide, an environmental and industrial compound produced by food processing, particularly the processing of foods such as potato chips, and coffee. In addition to the known harmful effects of acrylamide in humans and experimental animals, such as neurotoxicity, genotoxicity, and carcinogenicity, acrylamide also has an obesogenic effect. It has been shown in the literature to a limited extent that acrylamide may disrupt energy metabolism, lipid metabolism, adipogenesis, adipocyte differentiation, and various signaling pathways, and may exacerbate the disturbances in metabolic and biochemical parameters observed as a result of obesity. Acrylamide exerts its main potential obesogenic effects through body weight increase, worsening of the levels of obesity-related blood biomarkers, and induction of adipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis. Additional mechanisms may be discovered. Further experimental studies and prospective cohorts are needed, both to supplement existing knowledge about acrylamide and its effects, and to clarify its established relationship with obesity and its comorbidities.

Acidovorax PSJ13, a novel, efficient polyacrylamide-degrading bacterium by cleaving the main carbon chain skeleton without the production of acrylamide

Given the environmental challenge caused by the wide use of polyacrylamide (PAM), an environmental-friendly treatment method is required. This study demonstrates the role of Acidovorax sp. strain PSJ13 isolated from dewatered sludge in efficiently degrading PAM. To be specific, the strain PSJ13 can degrade 51.67% of PAM in 96 h (2.39 mg/(L h)) at 35 °C, pH 7.5 and 5% inoculation amount. Besides, scanning electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography were employed to analyze samples, and the nitrogen present in the degradation products was investigated. The results showed that the degradation of PAM by PSJ13 started from the side chain and then mainly the -C-C- main chain, which produced no acrylamide monomers. As the first study to report the role of Acidovorax in efficiently degrading PAM, this work may provide a solution for industries that require PAM management.

A chestnut-hemp type-II sourdough to improve technological, nutritional, and sensory properties of gluten-free bread

The nutritional quality of gluten-free (GF) products is usually improved by using flours derived from alternative grains (e.g., pseudocereals and legumes), additives and hydrolysates, leading to long ingredient lists in the labels, that conflict with current customer expectations. In this work, chestnut, carob, and hemp flours were used as mixed ingredients for making a gluten-free type-II sourdough. Three exopolysaccharides-producer lactic acid bacteria, belonging to Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Weissella cibaria, and Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides, were used, and the fermentation processes (6 log10 cfu/g, 25 °C, 16 h) optimize to maximize the EPS synthesis (15.70 ± 2.1 mg/kg). The chestnut-hemp (70:30) type-II sourdough was included in a rice/corn gluten-free bread recipe also containing psyllium flour as structuring agent. Although the fortification with unfermented flours already led the achievement of 6 g/100 g of fiber (high fiber, Regulation EC n. 1924/2006) and content of magnesium higher than the daily reference intakes, the use of type-II sourdoughs led to a further structural, sensory, and nutritional improvements (e.g., decreasing the main anti-nutritional factor phytic acid). This work demonstrated that the use of ad-hoc selected ingredients and optimized protocol can be used to produce a GF and "clean label" bread with optimal nutritional features and appreciable sensory and structural properties.

A dual-recognition-controlled electrochemical biosensor for selective and ultrasensitive detection of acrylamide in heat-treated carbohydrate-rich food

A synergistic hybrid was fabricated for the electrochemical aptasensing of acrylamide (AAM) via molecularly imprinted technology. The aptasensor depends on the modification of glassy carbon electrode with AuNPs and reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) {Au@rGO-MWCNTs/GCE}. The aptamer (Apt-SH) and AAM (template) were incubated with the electrode. After that, the monomer was electro-polymerized to fabricate molecular imprinted polymeric film (MIP) over the surface of Apt-SH/Au@rGO/MWCNTs/GCE. The modified electrodes were characterized using different morphological and electrochemical techniques. Under optimum conditions, the aptasensor exhibited a linear relationship between AAM concentration and anodic peak current difference (ΔIpa) in the range of 1-600 nM with a limit of quantitation (LOQ, S/N = 10) and a limit of detection (LOD, S/N = 3) of 0.346 and 0.104 nM, respectively. The aptasensor was successfully applied for the determination of AAM in potato fries samples with recoveries % in the range of 98.7-103.4 % and RSDs did not exceed 3.2 %. The advantages of MIP/Apt-SH/Au@rGO/MWCNTs/GCE are low detection limit, high selectivity, and satisfactory stability towards AAM detection.

Pasta cooking influence on in vitro bioaccessibility of type B trichothecenes, acrylamide and hydroxymethylfurfural

The study evaluated the effect of cooking time on the levels of type B trichothecenes (TCT_B), acrylamide (AA) and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in semolina pasta and their bioaccessibilities in order to propose strategies to reduce the daily exposure of these natural and processing contaminants. Three brands of commercial pasta were submitted to different cooking times (7, 10 and 13 min). Subsequently, the in vitro bioaccessibility trials, permeation across the intestinal membrane and estimation of daily exposure were carried out. The lowest cooking time (7 min) resulted in high reductions of TCT_B (88%) and AA + HMF (76.7%) contents found on the raw pasta. The concentrations of deoxynivalenol (DON) and AA were higher after the digestion (bioaccessibilities >100%) than after the pasta cooking. About 25.6% of DON and 100% of AA found in the small intestine digestible fraction were able to permeate the intestinal membrane. The risk of exposure was below the recommended safe limits since the estimated daily exposure values were 0.22 µg/kg per body weight/day for DON and 0.26 µg/kg per body weight/day for AA. Therefore, cooking pasta for 7 min at a pasta:water ratio of 1:10 (w/v) mitigates the contaminants and promotes the greater formation of resistant starch.

Efficiency and microbial community characteristics of strong alkali ASP flooding produced water treated by composite biofilm system

Strong alkali alkali-surfactant-polymer (ASP) flooding produced water is a by-product of oil recovery, and it is a stable system composed of petroleum, polyacrylamide, surfactant, and inorganic salts. Efficient, green, and safe ASP produced water treatment technology is essential for oilfield exploitation and environmental protection. In this study, an anaerobic/anoxic/moving bed biofilm reactor with a microfiltration membrane was established and assessed for the real strong alkali ASP flooding produced water (pH 10.1-10.4) treatment. The results show that the average removal rates of COD, petroleum, suspended solids, polymers and surfactants in this process are 57, 99, 66, 40, and 44%, respectively. GC-MS results show that most of the organic compounds such as alkanes and olefins in the strong alkali ASP produced water are degraded. Microfiltration membrane can significantly improve the efficiency and stability of sewage treatment system. Paracoccus (AN), Synergistaceae (ANO) and Trichococcus (MBBR) are the main microorganisms involved in the degradation of pollutants. This study reveals the potential and adaptability of composite biofilm system in treating the produced water of strong alkali ASP produced water.

General method for detecting acrylamide in foods and comprehensive survey of acrylamide in foods sold in Southeast China

This study aimed to investigate the distribution of acrylamide (AA) in food by developing a universal method for detecting AA in various foods and analyzing the levels of AA in 437 food samples collected from Southeast China. The developed method was simple, rapid, and widely applicable, with an average recovery rate range of 81.7-94.2% and a relative standard deviation range of 1.7-8.2%. The limit of detection (LOD, 2.0-3.4 µg kg-1) and limit of quantitation (LOQ, 6.0-10 µg kg-1) were also determined. AA was detected in all types of food, with a total detection rate of 76%, and the levels ranged from LOQ to 6020 µg kg-1. Potato chips had the highest level of AA (mean value of 504 µg kg-1), whereas pastries had the lowest level (mean value < 6.0 µg kg-1). Kruskal-Wallis analysis revealed significant differences in AA levels among different foods (H = 229.8, p < 0.05). The AA safety limit intake recommendations suggested that the intake of high-AA foods should be strictly controlled to reduce the risk of potential carcinogenic effects. The developed method provides a useful tool for monitoring AA levels in food.

Untargeted GC-MS and FT-NIR study of the effect of 14 processing methods on the volatile components of Polygonatum kingianum

Introduction

Polygonatum kingianum is a traditional medicinal plant, and processing has significantly impacts its quality.

Methods

Therefore, untargeted gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier transform-near-infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIR) were used to analyze the 14 processing methods commonly used in the Chinese market.It is dedicated to analyzing the causes of major volatile metabolite changes and identifying signature volatile components for each processing method.

Results

The untargeted GC-MS technique identified a total of 333 metabolites. The relative content accounted for sugars (43%), acids (20%), amino acids (18%), nucleotides (6%), and esters (3%). The multiple steaming and roasting samples contained more sugars, nucleotides, esters and flavonoids but fewer amino acids. The sugars are predominantly monosaccharides or small molecular sugars, mainly due to polysaccharides depolymerization. The heat treatment reduces the amino acid content significantly, and the multiple steaming and roasting methods are not conducive to accumulating amino acids. The multiple steaming and roasting samples showed significant differences, as seen from principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) based on GC-MS and FT-NIR. The partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) based on FT-NIR can achieve 96.43% identification rate for the processed samples.

Discussion

This study can provide some references and options for consumers, producers, and researchers.

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.

Soy Protein Isolate Interacted with Acrylamide to Reduce the Release of Acrylamide in the In Vitro Digestion Model

Acrylamide (AA), a common carcinogen, has been found in many dietary products.. This study aimed to explore the interaction of soybean protein isolate (SPI) with AA and further research the different effects of SPI on the AA release due to interactions in the in vitro digestion model. Analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. The results suggested that AA could bind with SPI in vitro, leading to the variation in SPI structure. The intrinsic fluorescence of SPI was quenched by AA via static quenching. The non-covalent (van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonding) and covalent bonds were the main interaction forces between SPI and AA. Furthermore, the release of AA significantly decreased due to its interaction with SPI under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. SPI had different effects on the AA release rate after different treatments. The thermal (80, 85, 90, and 95 °C for either 10 or 20 min) and ultrasound (200, 300, and 400 W for either 15, 30, or 60 min) treatments of SPI were useful in reducing the release of AA. However, the high pressure-homogenized (30, 60, 90, and 120 MPa once, twice, or thrice) treatments of SPI were unfavorable for reducing the release of AA.

Research Progress of Programmed Cell Death Induced by Acrylamide

Acrylamide exposure through environment pollution and diet is very common in daily life. With the deepening of the study on the toxicity of acrylamide, it has attracted widespread attention for the effects of acrylamide on multiple organs through affecting a variety of programmed cell death. Multiple studies have shown that acrylamide could exert its toxic effect by inducing programmed cell death, but its specific molecular mechanism is still unclear. In this review, the research on the main forms of programmed cell death (apoptosis, autophagy, and programmed necrosis) induced by acrylamide and their possible mechanisms are reviewed. This review may provide basic data for further research of acrylamide and prevention of its toxicity.

Acrylamide and hydroxymethylfurfural in cakes: An approach to reduce the formation of processing contaminants in sweet bakery products

In bakery products, beyond the heat treatment conditions, the type of flour and the combination with other ingredients in different ratios can increase or mitigate the formation of processing contaminants. In this study, a central composite design and a principal component analysis (PCA) were used to assess how the formulation affects the formation of acrylamide (AA) and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in wholemeal and white cakes. The HMF levels (45-138 µg/kg) were up to 13 times lower than the AA (393-970 µg/kg) in cakes. The PCA showed that the proteins increased the AA formation during the dough baking, while the reducing sugar and the browning index were related to HMF formation in the cake crust. The total daily exposure of AA + HMF when consuming wholemeal cake is 1.8 times higher than white cake consumption, in which the values of margin of exposure (MOE), below < 10,000, demonstrated that AA showed a greater risk of exposure than HMF (MOE values > 10,000). Therefore, a good strategy to avoid high AA levels in cakes is to use of refined wheat flour and water in the formulation. In contrast, the advantage of wholemeal cake about their nutritional value should not be disregarded, thus, the use of water in its preparation and moderate consumption are strategies that could be adopted to reduce the risk of exposure to AA.

Influence of Seasonings and Spice Essential Oils on Acrylamide Production in a Low Moisture Model System

Acrylamide (AA) is a typical contaminant produced during the heating process. In the present study, two seasonings (soy sauce and rice vinegar) and three spice essential oils (chive, ginger, and pepper) were added to the asparagine (Asn)/glucose (Glc) diethylene glycol model system to investigate the production of AA in a low moisture model system. The generation of AA was significantly enhanced when low levels of soy sauce (1% and 3% v/v) were added (p < 0.05). The Asn/Glc model system was heated for 15 min with 0%, 1%, or 3% (v/v) soy sauce, containing 43 mg/L, 63 mg/L, and 53 mg/L AA, respectively. However, the addition of a high level of soy sauce (5% v/v) showed significant inhibition of AA production after heating for 10 min (p < 0.05). About 36% of AA was inhibited in the Asn/Glc/soy sauce (5%) model system after heating for 15 min. The addition of low levels of rice vinegar (1% and 3% v/v) showed comprehensive effects on AA production. Nevertheless, the addition of rice vinegar at 5% v/v had an inhibitory effect on AA generation (p < 0.05). All kinds of spice essential oils promoted the production of AA (p < 0.05). There was a dose−response relationship between the level of spice essential oils and the generation of AA. This study proposes the importance of seasonings and spice essential oils for AA production in food preparation.

Metabolomics strategy comprehensively unveils the effect of catechins intervention on the biomarkers of exposure to acrylamide and biomarkers of cardiometabolic risk

Polyphenolic antioxidants have been suggested to control the generation of acrylamide during thermal reactions. However, their role in protecting against the toxicity of acrylamide and the mechanism of action regarding profile alteration of biomarkers and metabolome remains unclear. A total of 65 adults were randomized into tea polyphenols (TP) and control groups and served with potato chips, which corresponded to an intake level of 12.6 μg/kg·bw of acrylamide, followed by capsules containing 200 mg, 100 mg or 50 mg TP, or equivalent placebo. Moreover, nontargeted urinary metabolomics analysis in acrylamide exposed rats was conducted using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography linked with a quadrupole-orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry. Our results showed that supplementation with catechins promoted the excretion of N-acetyl-S-(2-carbamoyl-2-hydroxyethyl)-l-cysteine in both humans and rats. We also found that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) or epicatechin (EC) intervention attenuated the ratio of hemoglobin adduct of glycidamide to hemoglobin adduct of acrylamide in rat blood. Metabolomics analysis revealed that EGCG/EC intervention regulated the differential expressed metabolites, including l-glutamic acid, 2-oxoglutarate, citric acid, and cysteinylglycine. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis further showed acrylamide-induced metabolic disorders were improved after EGCG/EC supplementation by glycolipid metabolism (alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, and d-Glutamine and d-glutamate metabolism) and energy metabolism (tricarboxylic acid cycle). Notably, the supplement use of EGCG prevented the cardiometabolic risk after exposure to acrylamide by mediating the phenylalanine and hippuric acid in phenylalanine metabolism. Here we showed the beneficial effect of catechins as major polyphenolic antioxidant ingredients on the toxicity of acrylamide by the changes in biomarkers from metabolic profile analysis based on human and animal studies. These findings shed light into the catechins as natural polyphenolic antioxidants that could be a therapeutic ingredient for preventing acrylamide-induced cardiometabolic toxicity.

The inhibitory effect of Yam polysaccharides on acrylamide-induced programmed cell death in RAW 264.7 cells

Acrylamide has been well known for its neurotoxicity, genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, etc. Recently, the immunotoxicity of acrylamide has been reported by different research groups, although the underlying mechanisms of acrylamide endangering immune systems have not been fully elucidated. In this study, mouse monocyte-macrophage cells model was used to clarify the toxic mechanism of acrylamide and the inhibitory effect of Yam polysaccharides (YPS) on acrylamide-induced damage. We found that acrylamide induced RAW 264.7 cell death in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. After acrylamide (2.0, 3.0, 4.0 mmol/L) treatment for 24 h, cell apoptosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis were observed. However, the levels of autophagy and pyroptosis decreased at a high concentration of acrylamide (4.0 mmol/L). Acrylamide upregulated P2X7 expression, but the P2X7 level was not showing a monotone increasing trend. When the P2X7 antagonist was applied, the effect of acrylamide on autophagy and pyroptosis was weakened. Additionally, acrylamide triggered the occurrence of oxidative stress and a decreased nitric oxide (NO) level. However, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, the decrease of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression, and the increase of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression were reversed by the inhibition of P2X7. Yam polysaccharides (50.0 μg/ml) significantly inhibited acrylamide-induced oxidative stress and cell death (including apoptosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis). Yam polysaccharides also effectively reversed the increase of iNOS expression induced by acrylamide. However, Yam polysaccharides promoted the expression of P2X7 rather than prohibit it. These results indicated that acrylamide caused RAW 264.7 cell death due to pro-apoptosis as well as excessive autophagy and pyroptosis. Apoptosis might be more predominant than autophagy and pyroptosis under a higher concentration of acrylamide (4.0 mmol/L). P2X7-stimulated oxidative stress was responsible for acrylamide-induced programmed cell death (PCD), but P2X7 showed limited regulatory effect on apoptosis. Yam polysaccharides with antioxidant activity inhibited acrylamide-induced cell death (apoptosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis), but exerted limited effect on the acrylamide-induced P2X7 expression. These findings would offer an insight into elucidating the immunotoxic mechanism of acrylamide and the potential approaches to control its toxicity.

Recent Progress on Techniques in the Detection of Aflatoxin B1 in Edible Oil: A Mini Review

Contamination of agricultural products and foods by aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is becoming a serious global problem, and the presence of AFB1 in edible oil is frequent and has become inevitable, especially in underdeveloped countries and regions. As AFB1 results from a possible degradation of aflatoxins and the interaction of the resulting toxic compound with food components, it could cause chronic disease or severe cancers, increasing morbidity and mortality. Therefore, rapid and reliable detection methods are essential for checking AFB1 occurrence in foodstuffs to ensure food safety. Recently, new biosensor technologies have become a research hotspot due to their characteristics of speed and accuracy. This review describes various technologies such as chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques, ELISA techniques, and biosensing techniques, along with their advantages and weaknesses, for AFB1 control in edible oil and provides new insight into AFB1 detection for future work. Although compared with other technologies, biosensor technology involves the cross integration of multiple technologies, such as spectral technology and new nano materials, and has great potential, some challenges regarding their stability, cost, etc., need further studies.

Acrylamide-induced damage to postsynaptic plasticity is CYP2E1 dependent in an SH-SY5Y co-culture system

Acrylamide (ACR), a neurotoxic substance, is characterized by a range of industrial and population exposures. The effects of ACR on synapses have been examined, but the regulation and molecular mechanism of key proteins related to ACR and its metabolite glycidamide (GA) have not been elucidated. In this study, we constructed two co-culture systems to mimic neurons that do not express and overexpress CYP2E1. In these co-cultures, we observed the effects and relative influence of ACR and GA on cell survival as well as synaptic structural and functional plasticity. Next, we investigated the relationship between ACR-induced nerve damage and key proteins in the postsynaptic membrane. After ACR exposure, cell death and synaptic damage were significantly worse in CYP2E1-overexpressing co-culture systems, suggesting that ACR-induced neurotoxicity may be related to metabolic efficiency (including CYP2E1 activity). Moreover, with increasing doses of ACR, the key postsynaptic membrane proteins PSD-95 expression was reduced and CaMKII and NMDAR-2B phosphorylation was increased. ACR exposure also triggered a rapid dose- and time-dependent increase in intracellular Ca²⁺, whose changes can affect the expression of the above-mentioned key proteins. In summary, we clarified the relationship between ACR exposure, neuronal damage and postsynaptic plasticity and proposed an ACR-CYP2E1-GA: Ca²⁺-PSD-95-NMDAR-Ca²⁺-CaMKII effect chain. This information will further improve the development of an alternative pathway strategy for investigating the risk posed by ACR.

Novel Sensor Approaches of Aflatoxins Determination in Food and Beverage Samples

The rapid quantification of toxins in food and beverage products has become a significant issue in overcoming and preventing many life-threatening diseases. Aflatoxin-contaminated food is one of the reasons for primary liver cancer and induces some tumors and cancer types. Advancements in biosensors technology have brought out different analysis methods. Therefore, the sensing performance has been improved for agricultural and beverage industries or food control processes. Nanomaterials are widely used for the enhancement of sensing performance. The enzymes, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP), antibodies, and aptamers can be used as biorecognition elements. The transducer part of the biosensor can be selected, such as optical, electrochemical, and mass-based. This review explains the classification of major types of aflatoxins, the importance of nanomaterials, electrochemical, optical biosensors, and QCM and their applications for the determination of aflatoxins.

Influence of citral on acrylamide formation in model systems

This work aimed to evaluate the role of citral (Cit) in the formation of acrylamide (AA) in model systems. The asparagine (Asn)/glucose (Glc), Asn/Glc/ginger essential oil (GEO), and Asn/Glc/Cit model systems were prepared and analysed by UPLC-MS/MS. Cit was implicated to be a major product that contributed to the enhancement of AA formation by GEO. The addition of Cit significantly enhanced the formation of AA in the Asn/Glc model system in a dose-dependent manner. Further analysis showed Cit rather than its oxidation product played a major role in AA formation. Cit not only directly reacted with Asn via the Maillard reaction producing AA but also promoted the formation of AA between Asn and Glc.

The involvement of oxidative stress, neuronal lesions, neurotransmission impairment, and neuroinflammation in acrylamide-induced neurotoxicity in C57/BL6 mice

Acrylamide (ACR) is a typical environmental contaminant, presenting potential health hazards that have been attracting increasing attention. Its neurotoxicity is known to cause significant damage to health. However, the mechanisms of ACR-induced neurotoxicity require further clarification. This study uses a mouse model to explore how ACR-induced oxidative stress, neuronal lesions, neurotransmission impairment, and neuroinflammation mutually contribute to neurotoxicity. A distinct increase in the cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, malondialdehyde (MDA), and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) content and a significant decrease in the glutathione (GSH) content after ACR exposure were indicative of oxidative stress. Moreover, ACR caused neurological defects associated with gait abnormality and neuronal loss while suppressing the acetylcholine (ACh) and dopamine (DA) levels and increasing the protein expression of α-synuclein (α-syn), further inhibiting cholinergic and dopaminergic neuronal function. Additionally, ACR treatment caused an inflammatory response via nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation and increased the protein expression of NOD-like receptor protein-3 (NLRP3), consequently activating the NLRP3 inflammasome constituents, including cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase 1 (Caspase-1), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD (ASC), N domain gasdermin D (N-GSDMD), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and IL-18. The results revealed the underlying molecular mechanism of ACR-induced neurotoxicity via oxidative stress, neurotransmission impairment, and neuroinflammation-related signal cascade. This information will further improve the development of an alternative pathway strategy for investigating the risk posed by ACR. The hypothetical mechanism of ACR-induced neurotoxicity in vivo.

Nanocurcumin and curcumin prevent N, N'-methylenebisacrylamide-induced liver damage and promotion of hepatic cancer cell growth

Acrylamide (AC) is an environmental contaminant with cancer-promoting and cytotoxic properties, while curcumin (Cur.) is a phytochemical with documented anticancer and cytoprotective efficacy. Nanoparticle formulations can increase the efficacy of phytochemicals, so we examined the anticancer and hepatoprotective efficacies of nanocurcumin (N.Cur). Curcumin and nanocurcumin reduced HepG2 and Huh-7 cancer cell viability and increased apoptosis in the presence and absence of AC, while AC alone promoted proliferation. Furthermore, the anticancer efficacy of nanocurcumin was greater than that of curcumin. In mice, AC greatly increased hepatic expression of CYP2E1, P53, cleaved caspase-3, and COL1A1 as well as serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities. These effects were reversed by nanocurcumin and curcumin. Nanocurcumin also reduced the histopathology and fibrosis caused by AC, and reversed AC-induced glycogen depletion. Nanoparticle formulation can increase the anticancer and hepatoprotective efficiencies of curcumin.

Fluorescence assay for acrylamide determination in fried products based on AgInS2/ZnS quantum dots

AgInS₂/ZnS quantum dots were synthesized via solvothermal aqueous phase method using 3-mercaptopropionic acid as the stabilizer. AgInS₂/ZnS quantum dots were employed for acrylamide sensing under two strategies: (1) quenching of the fluorescence signal by the synthesis of polyacrylamide under UV light and (2) use of 2-naphthalenethiol for quenching of the fluorescence signal of quantum dots followed by a recovery of the signal after the addition of acrylamide. Both methodologies display adequate limits of detection, 15.6 and 4.8 μg L^-1, respectively. However, the 2-napthalenethiol based method exhibited better precision and selectivity compared to the other methodology. Both methodologies were applied for acrylamide detection in fried snack products and acceptable accuracy was obtained using 2-napthalenethiol method.

A portable kit based on thiol-ene Michael addition for acrylamide detection in thermally processed foods

Accurate, sensitive, and selective analysis of acrylamide generated in thermally processed foods is of great significance for food safety. Herein, a novel acrylamide sensing platform is designed for both sensitive on-site colorimetric analysis and accurate UV-vis spectroscopy quantification, by integrating thiol-ene Michael addition with gold nanoparticles-mediated catalytical oxidation. The Michael addition reaction between acrylamide and glutathione efficiently alleviates glutathione-induced catalytic activity inhibition of gold nanoparticles, evoking the chromogenic reaction of H₂O₂-mediated 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine. With increasing the concentration of acrylamide, the oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine is accelerated, presenting a series of shades from colorless to blue. The sensing platform exhibits excellent detection performance of acrylamide in the range of 0.5-175 μM with a detection limit of 0.16 μM, and is successfully employed in food samples. Especially, a portable assay kit based on the proposed platform is developed for visual determination of acrylamide, opening an avenue for smart sensors of food safety hazards.

The Mechanism of Acrylamide-Induced Neurotoxicity: Current Status and Future Perspectives

Acrylamide (ACR), a potential neurotoxin, is produced by the Maillard reaction between reducing sugars and free amino acids during food processing. Over the past decade, the neurotoxicity of ACR has caused increasing concern, prompting many related studies. This review summarized the relevant literature published in recent years and discussed the exposure to occupational, environmental, and daily ACR contamination in food. Moreover, ACR metabolism and the potential mechanism of ACR-induced neurotoxicity were discussed, with particular focus on the axonal degeneration of the nervous system, nerve cell apoptosis, oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and gut-brain axis homeostasis. Additionally, the limitations of existing knowledge, as well as new perspectives, were examined, specifically regarding the connection between the neurotoxicity caused by ACR and neurodegenerative diseases, NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-related neuroinflammation, and microbiota-gut-brain axis signaling. This review might provide systematic information for developing an alternative pathway approach to assess ACR risk.

Unraveling the Serum Metabolomic Profile of Acrylamide-Induced Cardiovascular Toxicity

Acrylamide has been reported as an important dietary risk factor from carbohydrate-rich processing food. However, systemic biological effects on the serum metabolomics induced by acrylamide have poorly been understood. In the present study, we evaluated the metabolic profiles in a rat serum after exposure to acrylamide using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography combined with quadrupole-orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry. The serum biochemical parameters of the treated and control groups were also determined using an automatic biochemical analyzer. Compared with the control group, 10 metabolites were significantly upregulated, including citric acid, d-(-)-fructose, gluconic acid, l-ascorbic acid 2-sulfate, 2-hydroxycinnamic acid, valine, l-phenylalanine, prolylleucine, succinic acid, and cholic acid, while 5 metabolites were significantly downregulated, including 3-hydroxybutyric acid, 4-oxoproline, 2,6-xylidine, 4-phenyl-3-buten-2-one, and N-ethyl-N-methylcathinone in the serum of 4-week-old rats exposed to acrylamide in the high-dose group (all P < 0.05). Importantly, acrylamide exposure affected metabolites mainly involved in the citrate cycle, valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosyntheses, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosyntheses, and pyruvate metabolism. These results suggested that exposure to acrylamide in rats exhibited marked systemic metabolic changes and affected the cardiovascular system. This study will provide a theoretical basis for exploring the toxic mechanism and will contribute to the diagnosis and prevention of acrylamide-induced cardiovascular toxicity.

Acrylamide induces intrinsic apoptosis and inhibits protective autophagy via the ROS mediated mitochondrial dysfunction pathway in U87-MG cells

Acrylamide (ACR) is a potential neurotoxin commonly found in the environment, as well as in food repeatedly exposed heat processing, but the mechanism underpinning ACR-induced neurotoxicity remains unclear. This study investigated the potential association and underlying signal transduction of oxidative stress, apoptosis, and autophagy associated with ACR-triggered neurotoxicity. Therefore, U87-MG cells were treated with varying ACR concentrations, while the cell activity reduction depended on the specific dosage and time parameters. Biochemical analyses showed that ACR significantly increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and Ca²⁺ levels while decreasing the glutathione (GSH) levels and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), finally leading to a higher cell apoptotic rate. Moreover, ACR induced U87-MG cell apoptosis and autophagy via ROS-triggered expression in the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, NF-κB activation, and autophagosome accumulation. In addition, the autophagosome accumulation induced by ACR could probably be ascribed to blocked autophagic flux, inhibiting the autophagosomes from combining with lysosomes, while the inhibition of autophagy caused by ACR further promoted the initiation of apoptosis. In conclusion, the results indicated that the apoptotic and autophagic pathways responded to ACR-induced neurotoxicity. However, inhibited protective autophagy further promoted apoptotic progression. New insights may be derived from these cellular responses that can help develop diverse pathway strategies for assessing the risk posed by ACR.HIGHLIGHTSACR induced mitochondrial- and caspase-dependent apoptosis in U87-MG cells.ACR regulated the autophagic markers and blocked autophagic flux in U87-MG cells.ACR inhibited protective autophagy and promoted apoptotic initiation in U87-MG cells.

Instrumentation for Routine Analysis of Acrylamide in French Fries: Assessing Limitations for Adoption

The purpose of this experimental review was to detect acrylamide in French fries using methods most adaptable to the food process industry for quality control assessment of products. French fries were prepared at different cook times using the same fryer oil over a five-day period to assess the influence of oil degradation and monitor trends in acrylamide formation. Acrylamide detection was performed using LC-MS, GC-MS and FT-NIR. The low levels of acrylamide produced during frying, low molecular weight of the analyte, and complexity of the potato matrix make routine acrylamide measurement challenging in a well-outfitted analytical lab with trained personnel. The findings of this study are presented from the perspective of pros and cons of each acrylamide measurement method in enough detail for food processors to appraise the method that may work best for them based on their available instrumentation and extent of personnel training.

Potent Acrylamide Determination in Food Products Using Ion-Selective Electrode Technique

A potent selective acrylamide liquid sensor based on the reaction of acrylamide with 2-(5-Bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-[N-n-Propyl-N-(3-Sulfopropyl) amino] aniline reagent is successfully designed. The characteristics slope (52.33 mV/decade), linearity usable range from 1.0 × 10⁻⁷–1.0 × 10⁻¹ molar, limit of detection (1.6 × 10⁻⁸) molar, selectivity attitude to several inorganic cations, amino acids and sugars, time of response (8 s), lifetime (four months), pH effect on the electrode potential and the basic validation parameters were studied. The desirable pH applicable range was 3.0–6.5, and the restraint of the developed sensor is independent on this working pH range. The deployed electrode was effectively applied for rapid inexpensive analysis of acrylamide cations in food products with comparison to high-performance liquid chromatographic method and the results were agreeable with each other. The obtained data by the suggested electrode were treated statistically and compared with the various recently published acrylamide sensors.

Toxicity of acrylamide after degradation by conjugated (UV/H2O2) photolysis in microalgae

Acrylamide (AA) is routinely used in laboratories and industries, and its disposal is always a problem; consequently, offering an alternative for their treatment contributes to conducting research in a responsible way. Therefore, in this work, acrylamide solutions were degraded by ultraviolet radiation and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and their toxicity was evaluated using a Desmodesmus quadricauda microalgae growth assay. The AA solutions were exposed to different dosages of H₂O₂ and different exposure times to UV radiation. The degradation was evaluated by liquid chromatography, which allowed the identification of the acrylamide peak and subsequent by-product peaks. A 100% degradation of the 1.5 mg L^-1 AA solution with UV/H₂O₂ (0.034 g L^-1) was achieved in just 10 min. The by-products formed did not inhibit the growth of D. quadricauda microalgae. The number of D. quadricauda individuals that grew in acrylamide solutions exposed to 20 and 30 min of UV radiation, with 0.034 g L^-1 of H₂O₂, was very similar to the number of individuals that grew in the control solution. Thus, the treatment proposed in this work using H₂O₂ combined with ultraviolet radiation degraded acrylamide into by-products with reduced toxicity.

An improved extraction method for acrylamide determination in fruit and vegetable chips through enzyme addition

An enzyme-addition method to pretreat fried fruit and vegetable chips for acrylamide analysis is reported, followed by determination of the acrylamide contents in 36 marketed fruit and vegetable chip products using LC-MS/MS. To improve the extraction process, the FDA method was modified. Specifically, digestive enzymes were added, overcoming the clogging of filters (or SPE cartridges) after extraction of vegetable chips using water. Diastase was added to extract high-starch products, including potato chips. Recoveries of 90.3-105.5% acrylamide were obtained at the spiking levels of 25-500 μg/kg. LOD and LOQ were similar between the method with (4.5 and 13.7 μg/kg) and without diastase addition (4.4 and 13.2 μg/kg). Okra chip with high mucin content was extracted after adding pepsin. This method provided a recovery of 99.8-102.2%, LOD of 6.0 μg/kg, and LOQ of 18.1 μg/kg. Both methods could be used for analyzing acrylamide, with critical method parameters satisfying European Union regulations.

Acrylamide in Bakery Products: A Review on Health Risks, Legal Regulations and Strategies to Reduce Its Formation

Acrylamide is a contaminant as defined in Council Regulation (EEC) No 315/93 and as such, it is considered a chemical hazard in the food chain. The toxicity of acrylamide has been acknowledged since 2002, among its toxicological effects on humans being neurotoxicity, genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and reproductive toxicity. Acrylamide has been classified as carcinogenic in the 2A group, with human exposure leading to progressive degeneration of the peripheral and central nervous systems characterized by cognitive and motor abnormalities. Bakery products (bread, crispbread, cakes, batter, breakfast cereals, biscuits, pies, etc.) are some of the major sources of dietary acrylamide. The review focuses on the levels of acrylamide in foods products, in particular bakery ones, and the risk that resulting dietary intake of acrylamide has on human health. The evolving legislative situation regarding the acrylamide content from foodstuffs, especially bakery ones, in the European Union is discussed underlining different measures that food producers must take in order to comply with the current regulations regarding the acrylamide levels in their products. Different approaches to reduce the acrylamide level in bakery products such as the use of asparginase, calcium salts, antioxidants, acids and their salts, etc., are described in detail.

An overview of nanomaterial based biosensors for detection of Aflatoxin B1 toxicity in foods

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is one of the most potent mycotoxin contaminating several foods and feeds. It suppresses immunity and consequently increases mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, hepatotoxicity, embryonic toxicity and increasing morbidity and mortality. Continuous exposure of AFB1 causes liver damage and thus increases the prevalence of cirrhosis and hepatic cancer. This article was planned to provide understanding of AFB1 toxicity and provides future directions for fabrication of cost effective and user-friendly nanomaterials based analytical devices. In the present article various conventional (chromatographic & spectroscopic), modern (PCR & immunoassays) and nanomaterials based biosensing techniques (electrochemical, optical, piezoelectrical and microfluidic) are discussed alongwith their merits and demerits. Nanomaterials based amperometric biosensors are found to be more stable, selective and cost-effective analytical devices in comparison to other biosensors. But many unresolved issues about their stability, toxicity and metabolic fate needs further studies. In-depth studies are needed for development of advanced nanomaterials integrated biosensors for specific, sensitive and fast monitoring of AFB1 toxicity in foods. Integration of biosensing system with micro array technology for simultaneous and automated detection of multiple AFs in real samples is also needed. Concerted efforts are also required to reduce their possible hazardous consequences of nanomaterials based biosensors.

Acrylamide in bread: a review on formation, health risk assessment, and determination by analytical techniques

Acrylamide is a water-soluble toxicant found in high-protein and carbohydrate-containing foods exposed to high temperature like bread as the staple foodstuff. This toxicant is mainly formed via Maillard reaction. The potential adverse effects of acrylamide especially possible carcinogenicity in human through dietary exposure necessitate its monitoring. Regarding the existence of its precursors in wheat bread formulation as well as extreme consumption of bread by most population and diversity of bread types, its acrylamide level needs to be investigated. The indicative value for acrylamide in wheat bread is set at 80 μg/kg. Consequently, its determination using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), or capillary electrophoresis can be helpful considering both the risk assessment and quality control aspects. In this respect, methods based on LC-MS/MS show good recovery and within laboratory repeatability with a limit of detection of 3-20 μg/kg and limit of quantification of 10-50 μg/kg which is suitable for the immediate requirements for food product monitoring and calculation of consumer exposure.

A fluorescence biosensor based on single-stranded DNA and carbon quantum dots for acrylamide detection

As a potential carcinogen produced in food thermal processing, acrylamide (AM) can cause irreversible harm to human health. For the detection of AM in food products, a simple fluorescent biosensor based on single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and carbon quantum dots (CQDs) was developed. Reduced fluorescence intensity of CQDs at 445 nm (excitation at 350 nm) was induced by the attachment of ssDNA. In the presence of AM, ssDNA was preferentially bound to AM by hydrogen bonding and the degree of fluorescence reduction was smaller than that without AM. Under optimized conditions, results showed that the sensing approach for detecting AM had a low detection limit of 2.41 × 10^-8 M in the standard solution, and a linear relationship ranging from 5 × 10^-3 to 1 × 10^-7 M with the determination coefficient (R²) of 0.9895 was obtained. Furthermore, a good recovery percentage (91.36-98.11%) in bread crust showed the potential for practical applications of this proposed biosensor.

Simultaneously Mitigation of Acrylamide, 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural, and Oil Content in Fried Dough Twist via Different Ingredients Combination and Infrared-Assisted Deep-Frying

The effect of main ingredients (wheat flours, polyol sweeteners, and frying oil) and infrared-assisted deep-frying on the acrylamide, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), oil content, and physicochemical characteristics of fried dough twist (FDT) were investigated. The amount of acrylamide and HMF produced in FDT made with low-gluten flour is significantly lower than that of flour with high gluten content. Among polyol sweeteners, maltitol causes the greatest reduction in acrylamide and HMF in FDT. Moreover, the oil content of FDT was significantly reduced by optimizing the infrared-assisted deep-frying process. At last, compared with deep-frying FDT made of sucrose, infrared-assisted deep-frying FDT made of maltitol reduced acrylamide, HMF, and oil content by 61.8%, 63.4%, and 27.5%, respectively. This study clearly showed that the ingredients, flour and polyol sweeteners used to process FDT are the two major determinants of the formation of acrylamide and HMF in FDT, and infrared-assisted deep-frying can significantly affect the oil content in FDT. Simultaneously, the mitigation of the acrylamide, HMF, and oil content in FDT can be achieved by using low-gluten flour and maltitol in the ingredients, combined with infrared-assisted deep-frying.