Journal of Food Processing & Technology

Variations in acrylamide levels in French fries prepared from fresh potatoes available in the Spanish market

9^th Euro-Global Summit & Expo on Food & Beverages

July 11-13, 2016 Cologne, Germany

Marta Mesias, Francisca Holgado, Gloria Márquez-Ruiz and Francisco J Morales

Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN, CSIC), Spain

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Food Process Technol

Abstract:

Acrylamide is a process contaminant generated in several foods during cooking as a consequence of the Maillard reaction. Processed potatoes are one of the main sources of exposure to acrylamide in the diet, French fries and potato chips contributing 56% of the total acrylamide intake in the Western diet of the adolescents. In the present study the acrylamide content of French fries prepared from fresh potatoes available in Spanish markets was determined. Eighteen different batches of fresh potatoes with the label of �??special to fry�?� were randomly purchased and fried in sunflower oil following two steps: 150ºC for 4 minutes and 180ºC for 2 minutes (Spanish normative for French fries production). Acrylamide content ranged from 24.7 to 2444 μg/kg, potatoes from Agria variety presenting lower levels (24.7-237 μg/kg) than those from Monalisa, Caesar and Milva (1216-2444 μg/kg). Reducing sugars content in the fresh potatoes ranged from 0.9 to 27.6 mg/g, most of the values exceeding the 3 mg/g recommended for potatoes intended for frying. A significant correlation between sugars and acrylamide formation after frying was found. Sugar content is associated with potato variety but also with storage conditions before processing, since cold temperature increases sugar levels in the tuber. It could be suggested that the storage conditions were different for all the samples, determining then the levels of reducing sugars and, consequently those of acrylamide in the French fries. In conclusion, an adequate selection of fresh potatoes is crucial to control acrylamide formation during frying and therefore exposure to this contaminant through the consumption of French fries.

Biography :

Email: mmesias@ictan.csic.es