Efficiency of mercapto flavor compounds in removing acrylamide under high temperature and low humidity conditions

ABSTRACT

Acrylamide (AA) is a potential human carcinogen, genotoxicant, and neurotoxicant. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the ability of mercapto flavor compounds to remove AA released from consumer packaging into food products. Four mercapto flavor compounds including 1,2-ethanedithiol, 1-butanethiol, 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, and 2-furanmethanethiol were employed to extract AA in model system using high temperature and low humidity. Our study showed that mercaptans were effective in eliminating AA in our model system. In order to remove 0.2 μmol AA, the optimal conditions in the reaction system were mercaptan flavor chemicals at 5 μmol, temperature 180 °C, and reaction time 25 min. In the presence of a higher pH, the greater was the amount of AA eliminated. Evidence indicates that employment of mercapto flavor chemicals under certain temperature and pH conditions is a reliable method to remove any unwanted AA from food products.

KEYWORDS:

• Acrylamide
• mercaptan
• mercapto flavors
• elimination, reaction

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 31371833], [grant number 31671961], Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, SCUT [grant number 2015zp040], and National Key Technology R&D Program [grant number 2012BAD37B01], Research Development Funding, School of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Beijing Institute of Technology Zhuhai, Zhuhai.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 31371833], [grant number 31671961], Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, SCUT [grant number 2015zp040], and National Key Technology R&D Program [grant number 2012BAD37B01].