Technological strategies for reducing acrylamide levels in heated foods

In 2002 Swedish researchers announced that exposure of humans to the suspected carcinogen acrylamide can come also from the diet, in particular from eating starch-rich foods subjected to intense heating (Tareke et al., J. Agric. Food Chem., 50, 4998-5006, 2002). Maillard-type reactions, which need the presence of asparagine, have been shown as one major reaction pathways of acrylamide formation (Mottram et al., Nature, 419, 448-449, 2002; Stadler et al., Nature, 419, 449-450, 2002; Biedermann et al., Mitt. Lebensmittelunter. Hyg., 93, 653-667, 2002; Becalski et al., J. Agric. Food Chem., 52 , 3801-3806, 2003; Zyzak et al., J. Agric. Food Chem, 51, 4782-4787, 2003). As a consequence, acrylamide formation has been found to be closely related to the development of the desired sensory properties (colour, flavour, texture) of heated foods, which are due to the development of the Maillard reaction products. Thus, the reduction of acrylamide formation in foods represents a big challenge for food technologists, since the technological interventions to this purpose should lead to the production of foods low in acrylamide and high in sensory properties. Here we discuss two different technological approaches aimed to reduce acrylamide concentration in heated foods with minimal impact on their sensory properties and possibly compatible with the existing industrial manufacturing process. The first is relevant to the mitigation of acrylamide formation by means of pre-treatments or processing interventions. The second is a patented technological strategy based on the removal of acrylamide from the heated foods under specific “ambient” conditions.