Implications of β-Mercaptoethanol in Relation to Folate Stability and to Determination of Folate Degradation Kinetics during Processing:  A Case Study on [6S]-5-Methyltetrahydrofolic Acid

Indrawati, Philippe Verlinde, Frederik Ottoy, Ann Van Loey, and Marc Hendrickx*
Faculty of Applied Bioscience and Engineering, Department of Food and Microbial Technology, Laboratory of Food Technology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 22, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
J. Agric. Food Chem., 2004, 52 (26), pp 8247–8254
DOI: 10.1021/jf048801z
Publication Date (Web): December 7, 2004
Copyright © 2004 American Chemical Society
*

 To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel:  +32-16-32-15-85. Fax:  +32-16-32-19-60. E-mail:  marc.hendrickx@agr.kuleuven.ac.be.

Abstract

The effect of β-mercaptoethanol (0−2%) addition to thermally and/or pressure-treated samples on [6S]-5-methyltetrahydrofolate was studied. Degradation of [6S]-5-methyltetrahydrofolate during both thermal and pressure treatments was mainly caused by oxidation, and the oxidized folates could be partly/completely reduced by β-mercaptoethanol. The addition of β-mercaptoethanol (2%) to the thermally and pressure-treated samples overestimated the “actual” stability of [6S]-5-methyltetrahydrofolate and misled the obtained kinetic information.

Keywords: [6S]-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate; β-mercaptoethanol; stability; temperature; pressure

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History

  • Published In Issue December 29, 2004
  • Received for review July 19, 2004. Revised manuscript received September 24, 2004. Accepted October 19, 2004. We acknowledge the Fund for Scientific ResearchFlanders (FWOFlanders) for their financial support.

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