Acrylamide is a process contaminant generated in several foods during cooking as a consequence of the Maillard reaction, derived from the reaction between the free amino acid asparagine with reducing sugars or other carbonyl compounds. This chemical reaction mainly occurs when foods are subjected to high temperatures as during frying, roasting or baking and in low moisture conditions. According to the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), processed potatoes together with coffee and cereal based food (cookies, crackers, breakfast cereals and toasted bread) are the main sources of exposure to acrylamide in the diet. Due to the natural presence of large concentration of acrylamide precursors in the potato, when this product is subjected to high temperatures, as during frying, acrylamide is generated. Levels of this contaminant even more than 4000 μg/kg have been detected in potato chips and crisps.
Spanish scientists have investigated the acrylamide content of commercial potato crisps marketed in Spain as a major source of acrylamide in the diet. Results were then compared with data previously reported by their research group since 2004, in order to evaluate the trend in the acrylamide content in Spanish potato crisps over the last 10 years and the effectiveness of the mitigation strategies implemented by industry. Moreover, they assessed the dietary exposure of the Spanish population to this contaminant through potato crisps .
Two different batches of 40 potato crisps brands from 18 producers were analysed. Results showed that acrylamide content ranged from 108 to 2180 μg/kg, with an average value of 630 μg/kg and a median of 556 μg/kg. Data revealed a continuous decreased trend from 2004 to 2014.
In 2014, potato crisps showed an average acrylamide content 14.6% lower than the previous report in 2009 and 57.6% lower than the first report in 2004. These data confirm the overall effectiveness in the mitigation strategies implemented by the Spanish industrial sector, although variations up to 80% were observed between a number of brands. However, 17.5% of the samples registered very high values. The dietary exposure of the Spanish population to this contaminant through potato crisps intake was estimated to be 0.035 μg/kg body weight/day.
Scientists conclude that the results revealed a decreased trend in acrylamide content from 2004 to 2014, which illustrates the effectiveness of the mitigation strategies carried out to diminish acrylamide levels in potato products. However, the high variability among batches for several brands is noticeable. The dietary exposure of the Spanish population to this contaminant through potato crisps intake was estimated, and, although exposure has decreased over the last few years, it is necessary to continue efforts to reduce acrylamide content in potato crisps since it is technically realistic. These data are useful for health risk assessment purposes in the Spanish population.
The study has been published on scientific journal Food and Chemical Toxicology and it is available online from April 13th 2015 at:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691515001246
Source: Marta Mesías and Francisco J. Morales, ‘Acrylamide in commercial potato crisps from Spanish market: Trends from 2004 to 2014 and assessment of the dietary exposure’, July 2015, Food and Chemical Toxicology, Vol. 81, pages 104–110.
Contacts:
Marta Mesías
Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition, ICTAN-CSIC
José Antonio Novais 10
Madrid 28040, Spain
Ph.: +34 91 5492300
Fax: +34 91 5493627.
Email: mmesias@ictan.csic.es