Abstract

Acrylamide in Food Products: A Review

Krishnakumar T and Visvanathan R

Acrylamide or 2-propenamide an industrial chemical formed in some foods particularly starchy foods during heating process such as baking, frying and roasting. Acrylamide is proven to be carcinogenic in animals and a probable human carcinogen mainly formed in foods by the reaction of asparagine (free amino acid) with reducing sugars (glucose and fructose) as part of the Maillard reaction during heating under high temperature and low moisture conditions. The main aim of this review is to summarize the results of academic and industrial research on occurrence, dietary exposure, formation mechanism and mitigation measures of acrylamide in bakery, cereal and potato food products.