Prev. Article Next Article Table of Contents

Article

Acrylamide in French Fries: Influence of Free Amino Acids and Sugars

Adam Becalski,*^†^‡ Benjamin P.-Y. Lau,^‡ David Lewis,^‡ Stephen W. Seaman,^‡ Stephen Hayward,^§ Michael Sahagian,^†^# Manoharan Ramesh,^# and Yves Leclerc

Food Research Division, Address Locator 2203D, and Bureau of Biostatistics and Computer Applications, Address Locator 2203E, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A0L2; Potato Processing Technology Centre, McCain Foods Limited, Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada E7L3K5; and McCain Foods (Canada), Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada E7L1B2

J. Agric. Food Chem., 2004, 52 (12), pp 3801–3806

DOI: 10.1021/jf0349376

Publication Date (Web): May 22, 2004

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed [telephone (613) 941 8937; fax (613) 941 4775; e-mail Adam_Becalski@hc-sc.gc.ca].

†

These authors contributed equally.

‡

Food Research Division, Health Canada.

Bureau of Biostatistics and Computer Applications, Health Canada.

Potato Processing Technology Centre, McCain Foods Limited.

McCain Foods (Canada).

Abstract

The free amino acid profile and sugar (fructose, glucose, and sucrose) composition were determined in potato samples selected to give a large range of variation (a total of 66 samples). From these samples French fries were produced in a laboratory-scale simulation of an industrial process followed by a finish fry at 180 °C for 3.5 min using a restaurant fryer. The final product was blast frozen and analyzed for acrylamide. Acrylamide was detected in all samples, but its concentration varied significantly from 50 to 1800 ng/g. For isotope dilution (¹³C₃) acrylamide analysis, samples were extracted with water, cleaned up on HLB Oasis polymeric and Accucat mixed mode anion and cation exchange SPE columns, and analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Statistical analysis of the data indicates that the effect of sugars and asparagine on the concentration of acrylamide in French fries is positive and significant (p < 0.001). It appears that one of the ways acrylamide formation in French fries can be effectively controlled is by the use of raw products with low sugar (and to a lesser degree, asparagine) content.

Keywords: Acrylamide; potato; glucose, fructose, sucrose; asparagine; Maillard reaction, LC-MS/MS

View: Full Text HTML | Hi-Res PDF