Development of an enhanced chemiluminescence ELISA for the rapid detection of acrylamide in food products

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 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.

Toxicity, formation, contamination, determination and mitigation of acrylamide in thermally processed plant-based foods and herbal medicines: A review

Thermal processing is one of the important techniques for most of the plant-based food and herb medicines before consumption and application in order to meet the specific requirement. The plant and herbs are rich in amino acids and reducing sugars, and thermal processing may lead to Maillard reaction, resulting as a high risk of acrylamide pollution. Acrylamide, an organic pollutant that can be absorbed by the body through the respiratory tract, digestive tract, skin and mucous membranes, has potential carcinogenicity, neurological, genetic, reproductive and developmental toxicity. Therefore, it is significant to conduct pollution determination and risk assessment for quality assurance and security of medication. This review demonstrates state-of-the-art research of acrylamide focusing on the toxicity, formation, contamination, determination, and mitigation in taking food and herb medicine, to provide reference for scientific processing and ensure the security of consumers.

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.

A Fast and Easy Probe Based on CMC/Eu (Ⅲ) Nanocomposites to Detect Acrylamide in Different Food Simulants Migrating from Food-Contacting Paper Materials

The residual acrylamide in food paper packaging can be transferred into water and food, which will cause harmful effects on human beings. In this paper, a rapid and easily available fluorescent probe based on carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)/Eu (Ⅲ) nanocomposites was designed to detect the residue acrylamide with high sensibility. The probe could respond in 1 min. The concentration of acrylamide was linearly correlated to the fluorescence intensity of the probe at the emission wavelength of 615 nm in the concentration range of 0.1–100 μmol/L. The limit of detection (LOD) of the probe was 0.085 μg/L, which is lower than the guideline value of the European Union, the U.S. EPA, and the WHO. An experiment was performed to simulate the acrylamide migrating from food-contacting paper materials to different foods, including waterborne food, alcohol beverage, acidic food, and greasy food. The recoveries and RSDs of acrylamide in all samples indicated that the CMC/Eu (Ⅲ) fluorescent probe was efficient for acrylamide detection. The possible mechanism of the probe for acrylamide detection involved both dynamically quenching and static quenching by forming of non-fluorescent substances.

Detection of Acrylamide in Foodstuffs by Nanobody-Based Immunoassays

Acrylamide is toxic aliphatic amide formed via the Maillard reaction between asparagine and reducing sugars during thermal processing of food. Herein, a specific nanobody termed Nb-7E against the acrylamide derivative xanthyl acrylamide (XAA) was isolated from an immunized phage display library and confirmed to be able to detect acrylamide. First, an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA) was established for acrylamide with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.089 μg/mL and working range from 0.23 to 5.6 μg/mL. Furthermore, an enhanced electrochemical immunoassay (ECIA) was developed based on the optimized reaction conditions. The LOD was as low as 0.033 μg/mL, threefold improved compared to that of ic-ELISA, and a wider linear detection range from 0.39 to 50.0 μg/mL was achieved. The average recoveries ranged from 88.29 to 111.76% in spiked baked biscuits and potato crisps. Finally, the analytical performance of the ECIA was validated by standard ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS).

An Origami Paper-Based Analytical Device for Rapid and Sensitive Analysis of Acrylamide in Foods

Rapid and sensitive detection of acrylamide in food samples is important for food safety and public health. Here, we describe a disposable origami paper-based analytical device (denoted doPAD) for colorimetric detection of acrylamide. This device uniquely exploits 3D origami folding paper for spatial control of the target recognition and signal readout, thus resulting in a positive correlation between the signals and the analytes. Under optimal conditions, the device achieved the quantitative analysis of acrylamide with a limit of detection of 1.13 μg/L within 120 min (including a derivatization time of 90 min and an assay time of 21 min). Furthermore, our method allowed the rapid and sensitive detection of acrylamide in complex food matrices. We envision that the platform described will find useful applications in the fields of food safety and environmental health.

Poly(methylene blue)-Based Electrochemical Platform for Label-Free Sensing of Acrylamide

The present work reports the electrochemical sensing of acrylamide (AM) using a poly(methylene blue)-modified glassy carbon electrode (PMB/GCE) where PMB functions as an electrochemical reporter. PMB was prepared by electrochemical polymerization of methylene blue. Electrochemical sensing of AM was facilitated by the interaction between AM and PMB. Further the interaction between AM and PMB was investigated using ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy and Raman analysis. The surface morphology was confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analyses. PMB/GCE was further characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the electrochemical performance was assessed using cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. Cyclic voltammetry analysis showed a decrease in current at the redox center of PMB upon addition of AM. The association constant and binding number of AM with PMB/GCE were calculated using differential pulse voltammetry and found to be 8.9 × 10⁶ M^-1 and 0.64 (∼1), respectively. The results indicated a strong interaction of AM on the PMB/GCE surface. Further, chronocoulometry analysis of PMB/GCE in the presence of AM showed a decrease in charge due to the interaction of AM with PMB. Under optimized conditions, PMB/GCE exhibited a decrease in current proportional to the concentration of AM in the range of 0.025-16 μM with sensitivity and detection limit 0.252 μA nM^-1 and 0.13 nM, respectively. Real sample analysis was carried out by the standard addition method using the solution extracted from potato chips.

Thiol-ene Click Derivatization for the Determination of Acrylamide in Potato Products by Capillary Electrophoresis with Capacitively Coupled Contactless Conductivity Detection

The development of analytical methods for acrylamide formed during food processing is of great significance for food safety, but limited by its inherent characteristics, the analysis of acrylamide is a continuing challenge. In this study, an efficient derivatization strategy for acrylamide based on thiol-ene click reaction with cysteine as derivatization reagent was proposed, and the resulting derivative was then analyzed by capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CE-C⁴D). After systematic investigation including catalyst dosage (0-20 mM), reaction temperature (30-90 °C) and time (1-60 min), and cysteine concentration (0.2-3.6 mM), acrylamide could be efficiently labeled by 2.0 mM cysteine at 70 °C for 10 min using 4 mM n-butylamine as catalyst. Application of 10 mM triethylamine as separation buffer, the labeled acrylamide was analyzed within 2.0 min, and the relative standard deviations of migration time and peak area were less than 0.84% and 5.6%, indicating good precision. The C⁴D signal of acrylamide derivative showed a good linear relationship with acrylamide concentration in the range of 7-200 μM with the correlation coefficient of 0.9991. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were calculated to be 0.16 μM and 0.52 μM, respectively. Assisted further by the QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) sample pretreatment, the developed derivatization strategy and subsequent CE-C⁴D method were successfully applied for the determination of acrylamide in potato products.

An electrochemical biosensor based on hemoglobin-oligonucleotides-modified electrode for detection of acrylamide in potato fries

Acrylamide a neurotoxin and strong carcinogen, is found in various thermally processed foods. In this study, an electrochemical sensor for detection of acrylamide using double stranded DNA (dsDNA)/Hemoglobin (Hb)-modified screen printed gold electrode (SPGE) was designed. The immobilization of ssDNA1-SH on the surface of SPGE was confirmed by cyclic voltammetry, and the interaction between ssDNA2-NH₂ and Hb with the ratio 1:1 was characterized by agarose gel. The excellent response of the designed biosensor towards acrylamide due to acrylamide and Hb adducts and change of reduction/oxidation process of Hb-Fe(III)/Hb-Fe(II) was determined by square wave voltammetry (SWV). The biosensor showed the optimum response at pH 8.0. The linear working range for acrylamide was from 2.0 × 10^-6 to 5.0 × 10^-2 M with a detection limit of 1.58 × 10^-7 M. The biosensor was suitable for direct determination of acrylamide in water extracted of potato fries and displayed good reproductivity and high stability.

Recent advances in cataluminescence-based optical sensing systems

Recent advances in the development of cataluminescence focused on oxygen, temperature, catalyst and instrumentation are summarized.

A colorimetric detection of acrylamide in potato chips based on nucleophile-initiated thiol–ene Michael addition

A visible, highly sensitive colorimetric biosensor based on thiol–ene Michael addition reaction was first reported to detect acrylamide (AA) in potato chips.

A sensitive enhanced chemiluminescent-ELISA for the detection of Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite antigen in midguts of Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes

Efforts to develop a successful malaria vaccine are hampered due to lack of assays that are predictive of protective immunity without conducting large clinical studies. The effect of experimental vaccines and drugs on malaria transmission is yet more difficult to measure. Knowledge on the Plasmodium infection rate in mosquito populations will aid the measurement of effects from intervention measures for malaria control. Here, we report the development of a chemiluminescent sandwich ELISA (ECL-ELISA) that can detect Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (Pf CSP) produced in recombinant form at concentrations of 4.4pg and in P. falciparum sporozoites (Pf SPZ) derived from mosquito salivary glands at levels corresponding to 5 Pf SPZ. Most importantly, we demonstrate reliable Pf CSP-based detection of 0.056day 8 P. falciparum oocysts developing inside mosquito midguts in whole mosquito lysates. Cumulatively, the ECL-ELISA is 47× more sensitive for the detection of Pf CSP than a colorimetric ELISA while greatly simplifying sample preparation, obviating the need for cumbersome midgut dissections and allowing high throughput screening of Plasmodium infection in mosquito populations. The ECL-ELISA may also have broader application in diagnosis of infectious diseases and the prognostic value in cancer and other diseases such as auto-immunity and genetic disorders based on antigen detection, or quality validation of biological vaccine components.

Hapten synthesis and development of a competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for acrylamide in food samples

The high level of acrylamide in widely consumed processed foods poses a potentially significant risk to human health, which has led to an increasing demand for rapid, simple, and selective analytical methods. In the present work, several haptens for acrylamide were designed in an attempt to prepare antibodies with acrylamide affinity, but they failed their purpose. However, a polyclonal antibody was produced against 4-mercaptophenylacetic acid (4-MPA)-derivatized acrylamide, which showed high binding affinity to the derivative. As acrylamide easily reacted with 4-MPA at high derivation yield, a competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ciELISA) for acrylamide via a preanalysis derivatization was developed. The derivatization and ELISA conditions were fully optimized to produce a method for acrylamide assay that exhibited an IC50 of 2.86 μg/kg, limit of detection at 0.036 μg/kg, and linear range of 0.25-24.15 μg/kg. The results of preanalysis recovery tests of acrylamide-spiked food samples and screening of blind food samples by both ciELISA and HPLC-MS/MS indicated the proposed ciELISA's good accuracy and reliability. This method was thus deemed suitable for routine acrylamide screening in food samples at low cost.

Analytical evaluation of a high-throughput enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for acrylamide determination in fried foods

The analytical performance and evaluation of a kit-based ELISA for the determination of acrylamide in fried potato and corn chip samples are described. The sample homogenate is subjected to clean-up using SPE, followed by analyte derivatization and ELISA detection. Accuracy, precision and linearity of the ELISA procedure have been validated using spiked samples. Analytical recovery ranged from 91.8% to 96.0% with coefficients of variation below 15%. Good linearity over a wide range of dilution and minimal assay drift was observed within a microtiter plate. IC50 value of the calibration curve was 110 ng/mL, with the limit of detection about 5 ng/mL and dynamic range from 10 to 1000 ng/mL. The high specificity of the ELISA was demonstrated by cross-reactivity study using 11 potential cross-reactants. A good correlation between the results obtained from the ELISA and GC-MS within the concentration range 120-1500 μg/kg was found in the chip samples (r=0.992, n=120). The data demonstrate that the evaluated and validated ELISA has a potential utility in a quick, simple and reliable acrylamide screening analysis for the medium- and large-sized food companies, as well as for residue laboratories and the food industry dealing with improving the chemical safety of foods available to the consumer.

Current issues in dietary acrylamide: formation, mitigation and risk assessment

Acrylamide (AA) is known as a neurotoxin in humans and it is classified as a probable human carcinogen by the International Agency of Research on Cancer. AA is produced as by-product of the Maillard reaction in starchy foods processed at high temperatures (>120 °C). This review includes the investigation of AA precursors, mechanisms of AA formation and AA mitigation technologies in potato, cereal and coffee products. Additionally, most relevant issues of AA risk assessment are discussed. New technologies tested from laboratory to industrial scale face, as a major challenge, the reduction of AA content of browned food, while still maintaining its attractive organoleptic properties. Reducing sugars such as glucose and fructose are the major contributors to AA in potato-based products. On the other hand, the limiting substrate of AA formation in cereals and coffee is the free amino acid asparagine. For some products the addition of glycine or asparaginase reduces AA formation during baking. Since, for potatoes, the limiting substrate is reducing sugars, increases in sugar content in potatoes during storage then introduce some difficulties and potentially quite large variations in the AA content of the final product. Sugars in potatoes may be reduced by blanching. Levels of AA in different foods show large variations and no general upper limit is easily applicable, since some formation will always occur. Current policy is that practical measures should be taken voluntarily to reduce AA formation in vulnerable foods since AA is considered a health risk at the concentrations found in foods.

Ultra trace level determinations of acrylamide in surface and drinking water by GC-MS after derivatization with xanthydrol

A sensitive GC-MS method has been established for the determination of acrylamide in surface and drinking water based on derivatization with xanthydrol. Deuterated acrylamide (acrylamide-d3 ) was chosen as the internal standard for analyzing the water sample. The derivatization of acrylamide was performed directly in water, and the best reaction conditions (xanthydrol of 1.6 mM, HCl concentration of 0.05 M, reaction for 30 min at ambient temperature) were established by variation of parameters. Under the established conditions, the detection and quantification limits were 3.0 and 9.7 ng/L, respectively, and the interday RSD was less than 8% at concentrations of 20 and 100 ng/L.

New trends in quantification of acrylamide in food products

Methods applied in acrylamide quantification in foods have been reviewed in this paper. Novel analytical techniques like capillary electrophoresis (CE), immunoenzymatic test (ELISA) and electrochemical biosensors, which can replace traditional methods like high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC) were presented. Short time of analysis and high resolution power of electrophoretic techniques caused that they became routinely used in food analysis apart from high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography. Application of modern chromatography methods like ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) in acrylamide quantification considerably shortened the time of analysis and decreased the consumption of indispensable reagents. The most promising approaches to acrylamide quantification in foods are electrochemical biosensors and immunoenzymatic tests. In contrast to chromatography and electrophoretic methods they require neither expensive equipment nor time consuming sample preparation and allow for fast screening of numerous samples without the usage of sophisticated apparatuses. Because of many advantages such as miniaturization, rapid and simple analysis, and high sensitivity and selectivity, biosensors are thought to replace conventional methods of acrylamide quantification in food.