Acrylamide analysis in food by liquid chromatographic and gas chromatographic methods

Understanding How Chemical Pollutants Arise and Evolve in the Brewing Supply Chain: A Scoping Review

In this study, a critical review was carried out using the Web of ScienceTM Core Collection database to analyse the scientific literature published to date to identify lines of research and future perspectives on the presence of chemical pollutants in beer brewing. Beer is one of the world's most popular drinks and the most consumed alcoholic beverage. However, a widespread challenge with potential implications for human and animal health is the presence of physical, chemical, and/or microbiological contaminants in beer. Biogenic amines, heavy metals, mycotoxins, nitrosamines, pesticides, acrylamide, phthalates, bisphenols, microplastics, and, to a lesser extent, hydrocarbons (aliphatic chlorinated and polycyclic aromatic), carbonyls, furan-derivatives, polychlorinated biphenyls, and trihalomethanes are the main chemical pollutants found during the beer brewing process. Pollution sources include raw materials, technological process steps, the brewery environment, and packaging materials. Different chemical pollutants have been found during the beer brewing process, from barley to beer. Brewing steps such as steeping, kilning, mashing, boiling, fermentation, and clarification are critical in reducing the levels of many of these pollutants. As a result, their residual levels are usually below the maximum levels allowed by international regulations. Therefore, this work was aimed at assessing how chemical pollutants appear and evolve in the brewing process, according to research developed in the last few decades.

Applications of 3D organoids in toxicological studies: a comprehensive analysis based on bibliometrics and advances in toxicological mechanisms

A mechanism exploration is an important part of toxicological studies. However, traditional cell and animal models can no longer meet the current needs for in-depth studies of toxicological mechanisms. The three-dimensional (3D) organoid derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) or induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) is an ideal experimental model for the study of toxicological effects and mechanisms, which further recapitulates the human tissue microenvironment and provides a reliable method for studying complex cell-cell interactions. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the state of the 3D organoid technology in toxicological studies, including a bibliometric analysis of the existing literature and an exploration of the latest advances in toxicological mechanisms. The use of 3D organoids in toxicology research is growing rapidly, with applications in disease modeling, organ-on-chips, and drug toxicity screening being emphasized, but academic communications among countries/regions, institutions, and research scholars need to be further strengthened. Attempts to study the toxicological mechanisms of exogenous chemicals such as heavy metals, nanoparticles, drugs and organic pollutants are also increasing. It can be expected that 3D organoids can be better applied to the safety evaluation of exogenous chemicals by establishing a standardized methodology.

Exploring the Sensing Potential of g-C3N4 versus Li/g-C3N4 Nanoflakes toward Hazardous Organic Volatiles: A DFT Simulation Study

Ab initio calculations were performed to determine the sensing behavior of g-C3N4 and Li metal-doped g-C3N4 (Li/g-C3N4) quantum dots toward toxic compounds acetamide (AA), benzamide (BA), and their thio-analogues, namely, thioacetamide (TAA) and thiobenzamide (TAA). For optimization and interaction energies, the ωB97XD/6-31G(d,p) level of theory was used. Interaction energies (Eint) illustrate the high thermodynamic stabilities of the designed complexes due to the presence of the noncovalent interactions. The presence of electrostatic forces in some complexes is also observed. The observed trend of Eint in g-C3N4 complexes was BA > TAA > AA > TBA, while in Li/g-C3N4, the trend was BA > AA > TBA > TAA. The electronic properties were studied by frontier molecular orbital (FMO) and natural bond orbital analyses. According to FMO, lithium metal doping greatly enhanced the conductivity of the complexes by generating new HOMOs near the Fermi level. A significant amount of charge transfer was also observed in complexes, reflecting the increase in charge conductivity. NCI and QTAIM analyses evidenced the presence of significant noncovalent dispersion and electrostatic forces in Li/g-C3N4 and respective complexes. Charge decomposition analysis gave an idea of the transfer of charge density between quantum dots and analytes. Finally, TD-DFT explained the optical behavior of the reported complexes. The findings of this study suggested that both bare g-C3N4 and Li/g-C3N4 can effectively be used as atmospheric sensors having excellent adsorbing properties toward toxic analytes.

Heat-Introduced Formation of Acrylamide in Table Olives: Analysis of Acrylamide, Free Asparagine, and 3-Aminopropionamide

Acrylamide was detected in considerable amounts in black table olives. In this study, besides black, also green and naturally black table olives were investigated for their acrylamide, free asparagine, and 3-aminopropionamide contents before and after heat treatment. Acrylamide amount was 208-773 μg/kg in black table olives and did not change due to heat treatment. In green and naturally black table olives acrylamide was ≤24 μg/kg before heat treatment and rose to 1200 μg/kg afterward. Asparagine content was 0.35-35 mg/kg in all samples before heat treatment and after heat treatment with no considerable change in the range. 3-Aminopropionamide showed amounts of ≤56 μg/kg in the unheated samples and increased up to 131 μg/kg due to heat impact. However, quantified asparagine and 3-aminopropionamide amounts were insufficient in almost all samples to explain the acrylamide quantities formed due to heat treatment based on the formation via the Maillard reaction.

Protective roles of vitamin C and 5-aminosalicylic acid on reproduction in acrylamide intoxicated male mice

Context

Serious health risks have been connected to ongoing, escalating exposure to environmental toxins and one of them is acrylamide (ACR), an organic compound. Although there are many published reports on ACR toxicity, limited information is available regarding the use of two potential antioxidants against ACR-instigated reproductive toxicity.

Aims

The study focused on investigating the protective effects of vitamin C and 5-ASA against ACR-incited reproductive toxicity.

Methods

A total of 50 male mice aged 4 weeks old were treated for 90 days with different concentrations either of ACR or ACR and vitamin C or ACR and 5- ASA or ACR, vitamin C, and 5- ASA.

Key results

ACR significantly reduced serum testosterone level (p = 0.0037), sperm concentration (p = 0.0004), and percentage of sperm motility (p = 0.003), as well as increased sperm abnormality; head (p = 0.0058), tail (p = 0.001), and midpiece (p = 0.0339). Besides, the weight (p = 0.0006) and length (p = 0.0105) of testes, as well as weight (p = 0.0001) and length (p = 0.0021) of epididymis were decreased along with atrophy of seminiferous tubules of the testis, and disintegration of the tubular epithelium of epididymis on ACR exposed mice which were improved by vitamin C and 5-ASA administration.

Conclusions

Vitamin C and 5-ASA can potentially mitigate the negative effects of ACR on male reproduction; however, combined application is recommended for better performance.

Implications

In Bangladesh, this work is anticipated to address the health benefits of vitamin C and 5-ASA, particularly in improving the reproductive health of males against ACR toxicity.

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.

Analysis of acrylamide in vegetable chips after derivatization with 2-mercaptobenzoic acid by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry

Since many years, acrylamide (AA) is a well-known toxicologically relevant processing contaminant (“food-borne toxicant”). However, only during the recent years, high levels of acrylamide have been reported in vegetable chips. In the present study, AA was quantitated via a modified derivatization procedure with 2-mercaptobenzoic acid based on stable isotope dilution analysis and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Extraction with a modified QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, efficient, rugged, safe) method, defatting with n-hexane, and a solid phase extraction clean-up with strong cation-exchange material were performed prior to the derivatization step. Limits of detection and quantitation (LoD and LoQ) were 12 and 41 µg of AA/kg of vegetable chips (estimated via signal-to-noise ratios of 3:1 and 10:1, respectively), and thus below the LoQ of 50 µg/kg requested by the European Food Safety Authority. Recovery rates between 92 and 101% at four spiking levels with a good precision expressed as a relative standard deviation  < 7% were determined. With this method at hand, a survey of the current AA amounts in 38 vegetable chips from the worldwide market was performed, showing a remarkable variability between the different vegetables, but also between different products of the same vegetable. Thereby, the AA amounts ranged between 77.3 and 3090 µg/kg, with an average of 954 µg/kg which was distinctly higher in comparison to commercially available potato chips also analyzed in the present study (12 samples, range: 117–832 µg/kg, average: 449 µg/kg). While for sweet potato and parsnip relatively low AA amounts were found, beetroot and carrot showed rather high contents.

An eco-friendly solvent-free reaction based on peptide probes: design an extraction-free method for analysis of acrylamide under microliter volume

Acrylamide is a group 2A carcinogen and potential endocrine disruptor that can enter the ecosystem by various routes and has recently become a dangerous pollutant. This widely used chemical can enter the human body via air inhalation, food or water consumption, or skin contact. In this study, we developed a peptide probe for the detection of acrylamide by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) after its micro-tagging with a peptide. Direct detection of acrylamide by MALDI-TOF MS is not feasible due to its poor ionization in the MALDI interface, which hinders its analysis by the technique. After microwave irradiation for 2 min, the formed acrylamide-peptide derivative was detected easily by MALDI-TOF MS without the need for extraction procedures. The procedure does not involve organic solvents and a water-soluble peptide that allows detection of acrylamide in small sample volumes with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.05 ng/μL. The relative standard deviation (RSD) and relative error (RE) of the measurements were < 6.7% for intra- and inter-day assays. Gel-washing solutions from a polyacrylamide gel experiment were used as a model to study the efficiency of the developed method. Finally, we used the proposed method for the detection of free acrylamide in small volumes of lung epithelial cells (a model to test the air inhalation of acrylamide under a tiny volume of sample) and human urine. The developed method will enable rapid acrylamide detection in environmental and biological samples via a green approach based on microwave-assisted derivatization in water alongside the use of a less toxic derivatization reagent, reusable target plate, and miniaturization protocols.

HS-SPME Gas Chromatography Approach for Underivatized Acrylamide Determination in Biscuits

Acrylamide (AA) is a food contaminant in thermally processed products that is object of tight control. A simple and easy-to-apply methodology for routine monitoring of AA levels in food products could allow producers to be players in the control of their own products. In this work, a simple methodology for AA quantification without derivatization was developed for biscuits, for which the benchmark levels recommended by EFSA are 350 µg/kg, and 150 µg/kg for biscuits for infants and young children. Headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) was used in 120 mL screwed-cap vials with a carboxen/polydimetylsiloxane fiber, 4 g of biscuits, and 10 mL of water during 15 min at room temperature under stirring. The addition of 30 mL of propanol under stirring during 15 min at room temperature and 15 min at 60 °C was used to promote AA transfer to the headspace. The fiber exposure was 45 min. A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis allowed to obtain an external calibration curve at m/z 71, with linearity R² > 0.99 and precision RSD < 9%. The detection and quantification limits were 27.4 µg/kg and 91.5 µg/kg, respectively. The methodology was successfully used in biscuits with lower AA amount, where mitigation strategies (asparaginase or pectate) were applied.

Enhancing trace acrylamide analysis by bromine derivatization coupled with direct-immersion solid-phase microextraction in drinking water

Acrylamide is a neurotoxic and genotoxic compound. It is abundant in drinking water because of the usage of polyacrylamide. Its high polarity and small molecular weight characteristics make it difficult to be extracted and analysed. In this study, a novel method was optimized for the determination of trace acrylamide in drinking water. The optimized method, uses bromine derivatization, can avoid false analysis of co-extractives and precursors effectively by transferring acrylamide to 2-bromopropenamide. The 2-bromopropenamide was extracted from water samples using DI-SPME and further analysed by GC-MS. This optimized method uses CAR/PDMS coating SPME fibre to extract at 55°C for 45 min after the addition of 12 g Na₂SO₄, and then desorbs the extractions in GC injector at 260°C for 3 min. The detection limit was 0.05 μg/L with linearity ranging from 0.5 to 500 μg/L. The repeatability and reproducibility relative standard deviation were 7.30% and 8.50%, respectively. The spiking recovery of tap water samples ranged from 100% to 106%. These results confirmed that this novel method was more precise and accurate than the previously reported SPME methods that used to analyse trace acrylamide in drinking water. The concentrations of acrylamide in the collected samples from clarification and filtration units were 0.80 and 0.71 g/L respectively.

Thermo-/pH-responsive preservative delivery based on TEMPO cellulose nanofiber/cationic copolymer hydrogel film in fruit packaging

Hydrogels have great potential in food packaging. However, stimuli-responsive preservative delivery-based hydrogels for emerging active packaging have not yet been explored. Herein, Unprecedented pH/temperature-responsive hydrogel films for emerging active climacteric fruit packaging were developed based on TEMPO-oxidized nanofibrillated cellulose (TOCNFs) from wheat straw with food-grade cationic-modified poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-acrylamide) (CP_NIPAM-AM). TOCNF incorporation into CP_NIPAM-AM revealed desirable enhancement of characterization, antimicrobial properties, and pH/thermal-responsive behaviour. In-vitro delivery and release mechanism studies with natamycin revealed the fastest release rates in preferred low pH media, up to 32.1 times higher than that under neutral conditions via anomalous diffusion. Applying a thermal stimulus increased natamycin release rates, providing 1.5-21% gradual-additional pulses by Fickian diffusion. The final hydrogel film showed efficient decay control in response to stimuli of the climacteric fruit environment with safe, recyclable, and feasible application demonstrating the significant potential to be used as an alternative-sustainable material for stimuli-triggered preservative delivery in climacteric fruit packaging.

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.

Determination and risk assessment of acrylamide in thermally processed Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma

As one of the medicine homologous foods in China, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (AMR) is usually distributed after thermal processing, which raised the possibility of acrylamide pollution and a potential carcinogenic risk. In this study, a method was developed for the determination of the acrylamide in AMR using graphited multiwalled carbon nanotubes as the dispersive solid phase extraction sorbent and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The concentration of acrylamide was investigated at processing conditions of 80℃-210℃ and 5 min-100 min. Method validation results demonstrated the reliability of the method with good linearity, accuracy and precision. Significant increment of acrylamide was found in AMR after thermal processing with the highest concentration at 9826 μg/kg, which led to a margin of exposure at 90.83-181.7 according to the BMDL₁₀ of carcinogenicity at 0.17 mg/kg, indicating a high health risk of taking thermally processed AMR, and monitoring and controlling should be considered.

Comprehensive Study on the Acrylamide Content of High Thermally Processed Foods

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

Acrylamide content of collected food products from Tehran's market: a risk assessment study

Acrylamide concentration in food products collected from the Tehran market was investigated by the aid of a dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) system coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Also, the dietary exposure distribution and related potential risk for acrylamide ingestion were estimated by the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). The highest and lowest mean concentration of acrylamide was detected in coffee and roasted nuts samples as 549 and 133 μg/kg, respectively. The mean acrylamide dietary exposure values for children (3-10 years), adolescents (11-17 years), adults (18-60 years), and seniors (61-96 years) were estimated to be 1.81, 1.02, 0.61, and 0.53 μg/kg body weight (BW)/day, respectively. In all age groups, except children, the estimated exposure in men and boys was higher than that in women and girls. Bread, despite containing low acrylamide content groups (157 μg/kg while compared with other, except roasted nuts), showed with the highest contribution rate in all age groups due to its high consumption rate. The estimated incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for all age groups was noted as greater than 10^-4 indicating serious risk to the population. Moreover, the margin of exposure (MOE) values based on carcinogenicity showed health concern to all age groups (< 10,000). Regarding the non-carcinogenic risk, the target hazard quotient (THQ) was lower than 1, and MOE based on neurotoxicity was higher than 125 (safety thresholds), which represented negligible and ignorable risk in all age groups except in a small group of children and adolescents. Graphical abstract.

Reduction in Acrylamide Formation in Potato Crisps: Application of Extract and Hydrocolloid-Based Coatings

ABSTRACT

Two different potato chip coatings-aqueous extracts including Zataria multiflora and Allium hirtifolium at concentrations of 1, 3, 5, and 7% and hydrocolloids individually or in combination-were used to decrease acrylamide content, and their effects on the characteristics of the product were then investigated. According to the results, the incorporation of hydrocolloids as the coating was more efficient in the reduction of acrylamide production than with the extracts. Also, the application of each extract and hydrocolloids individually can be considered a more efficient technique for acrylamide reduction than their mixture. In this regard, the economic aspects of the application of hydrocolloids in the coating of fried potato crisps can be evaluated.

HIGHLIGHTS

Processing effects on acrylamide content in roasted coffee production

Acrylamide is a toxic compound that develops during the roasting process of coffee beans. According to literature, the levels of acrylamide in coffee vary with the percentage of Robusta type in the mix and with the time-temperature parameters during the roasting process. Therefore, this study aimed to find the best roasting conditions in order to mitigate acrylamide formation. Two types of roasted coffee (Arabica and Robusta) were analyzed through GC-MS and two clean-up methods were compared. The best roasting conditions were optimized on an industrial scale and the median levels of acrylamide decreased from the range 170-484 µg kg^-1 to 159-351 µg kg^-1, after the optimization of roasting parameters. Therefore, the choice of the best conditions, according to the percentage of Robusta type in the finished product, could be an efficient mitigation strategy for acrylamide formation in coffee, maintaining the manufacturer's requirements of the finished product.

Determination of acrylamide in gingerbread and other food samples by HILIC-MS/MS: A dilute-and-shoot method

This paper describes a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometric (HILIC-MS/MS) method for determining acrylamide in food. The method primary optimised for gingerbread samples that have high sugar contents. A new sample preparation process was optimized using an experiment design based on a central composition design (CCD). A mixture of acidified aqueous acetonitrile was established as a suitable extraction medium. The extracts were further diluted and separation of acrylamide on TSKgel Amide-80 HILIC column was carried out within 8 min. The method was validated using naturally contaminated quality check (QC) as well as spiked samples. The developed method showed acceptable accuracy (101% - 105%) and precision (2.9% - 7.6%). The limit of quantification was 20 µg/kg. The method was also tested by analysing acrylamide in other food samples (bread, roasted coffee, instant coffee, cappuccino powder and fried potato). The acrylamide concentrations found in samples were between 20 µg/kg and 667 µg/kg, which were lower than the benchmark levels set by the European Union (EU). The main advantage of the newly developed method over the standard methods included the easier sample preparation and faster analysis with reduced ion suppression.

Comparative Study of Four Analytical Methods for the Routine Determination of Acrylamide in Black Ripe Olives

Reducing acrylamide in foods is an important scientific and regulatory goal. Black ripe olives contain significant levels of acrylamide. However, unlike cereal and potato products, there are no standardized methods or certified reference materials for olives and no harmonization between laboratories performing routine analyses. The industry has observed inconsistencies between laboratories using different analytical methods. To narrow the cause of this variability, acrylamide was extracted from olives using a single protocol and analyzed with the most commonly used routine methods: liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (LC-UV) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) without bromination and LC-UV and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) following bromination. This design specifically evaluated the effects of sample derivatization and detector on acrylamide measurements, which has not been documented for any food. Accuracy, precision, sensitivity, linearity, and reproducibility were assessed, and 10 commercial olive samples were analyzed. LC-MS/MS demonstrated the best overall performance. Although derivatization decreased precision and reproducibility, all detection methods had comparable accuracy and calculated acrylamide values. The results suggest that harmonization of extraction protocols across laboratories is the most important area of future study. This study provides the framework for a standardized method for acrylamide analysis in olives. Reliable measurements are essential for aiding the decision making of the industry and regulatory agencies.

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.

Modelling acrylamide acute neurotoxicity in zebrafish larvae

Acrylamide (ACR), a type-2 alkene, may lead to a synaptopathy characterized by ataxia, skeletal muscles weakness and numbness of the extremities in exposed human and laboratory animals. Currently, only the mildly affected patients undergo complete recovery, and identification of new molecules with therapeutic bioactivity against ACR acute neurotoxicity is urgently needed. Here, we have generated a zebrafish model for ACR neurotoxicity by exposing 5 days post-fertilization zebrafish larvae to 1 mM ACR for 3 days. Our results show that zebrafish mimics most of the pathophysiological processes described in humans and mammalian models. Motor function was altered, and specific effects were found on the presynaptic nerve terminals at the neuromuscular junction level, but not on the axonal tracts or myelin sheath integrity. Transcriptional markers of proteins involved in synaptic vesicle cycle were selectively altered, and the proteomic analysis showed that ACR-adducts were formed on cysteine residues of some synaptic proteins. Finally, analysis of neurotransmitters profile showed a significant effect on cholinergic and dopaminergic systems. These data support the suitability of the developed zebrafish model for screening of molecules with therapeutic value against this toxic neuropathy.

Determination of acrylamide levels in potato crisps and other snacks and exposure risk assessment through a Margin of Exposure approach

Potato crisps, corn-based extruded snacks and other savoury snacks are very popular products especially among younger generations. These products could be a potential source of acrylamide (AA), a toxic compound which could develop during frying and baking processes. The purpose of this study was the assessment of the dietary intake to AA across six groups of consumers divided according to age through the consumption of potato crisps and other snacks, in order to eventually evaluate the margin of exposure (MOE) related to neurotoxic and carcinogenic critical endpoints. Different brands of potato crisps and other popular snacks were analyzed through a matrix solid-phase dispersion method followed by a bromination step and GC-MS quantification. The concentration of detected AA ranged from 21 to 3444 ng g^-1 and the highest level occurred in potato crisps samples which showed a median value of 968 ng g^-1. The risk characterization through MOE assessment revealed that five out of six consumers groups showed higher exposure values associated with an augmented carcinogenic risk.

Magnetic graphene-based cyanopropyltriethoxysilane as an adsorbent for simultaneous determination of polar and non-polar organophosphorus pesticides in cow’s milk

A new adsorbent based on magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄), graphene and cyanopropyltriethoxysilane was fabricated and applied to the magnetic solid phase extraction of organophosphorus pesticides.

Direct determination of acrylamide in food by gas chromatography with nitrogen chemiluminescence detection

A method of gas chromatography with nitrogen chemiluminescence detection and using standard addition is described for the determination of acrylamide in heat-processed foods. Using a modified QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) sample preparation method removes the acrylamide precursors completely, and the risk of overestimating acrylamide concentration due to additional analyte formation in the hot gas chromatograph inlet is also avoided. Sample preparation is rapid and inexpensive. A Deans switch device is utilized to heart-cut acrylamide and to prevent interferences from the solvent and matrix from reaching the detector. The pre-column is backflushed at high temperature to maintain a clean baseline and shorten the cycle time compared to baking out the column. Quantitation using standard addition is employed for compensation of potential variability in the acrylamide extraction efficiency in acetonitrile. The limit of detection and the limit of the quantification obtained for this method are 27 and 81 μg/kg, respectively, in food samples (equivalent to 3.5 and 10.6 μg/L in acetonitrile, respectively), and the linear range is 76-9697 μg/kg in food samples (equivalent to 10-1280 μg/L in acetonitrile) with an R(2) value of 0.9999.

Determination of acrylamide in Sudanese food by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with LTQ Orbitrap mass spectrometry

A sample preparation method based on modified Quick, Easy, Cheap Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) with aluminum oxide (Al2O3) as dispersive solid phase extraction (dSPE) material and high performance liquid chromatography-linear trap quadruple-Orbitrap-mass spectrometry (HPLC LTQ-Orbitrap MS) was established. The performance of two analytical columns namely Kinetex C18 and Rezex ROA-organic acid was compared for acrylamide separation. The method was validated in term of matrix effect, linear range (standard addition method), limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), precision (RSD%) and recovery. Good linearity (r(2)>0.9979) was achieved using standard addition method in the concentration range 0-200μgkg(-1). The LOD is in the range from 2.91 to 4.04μgkg(-1) and 1.50 to 3.94μgkg(-1) for C18 and ROA columns, respectively. The precision of the method was ⩽7.3% and 5.6% for C18 and ROA columns, respectively. Recoveries of acrylamide ranging from 90% to 97%, (n=3) were obtained. The proposed Al2O3 dSPE method was successfully applied to the analysis of acrylamide in real food samples.