The impact of storage conditions on acrylamide formation in vegetable-based products
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Kuupäev
2025
Kättesaadavus
Autorid
Ajakirja pealkiri
Ajakirja ISSN
Köite pealkiri
Kirjastaja
Estonian University of Life Sciences
Abstrakt
The aim of this study was to identify the most commonly cultivated potato, carrot, beetroot, and pumpkin varieties in Estonia and assess acrylamide formation after storage and processing. Data collection involved queries to crop cultivation organizations, farmers, food enterprises, and Statistics Estonia. This resulted a ranking of the most cultivated varieties in Estonia. Selected vegetables were stored at 3 °C and 8 °C for six
months, followed by heat treatment to produce vegetable crisps and purees. For vegetable crisps, vegetable slices
were fried at 175 ºC for 5 minutes, while purees were prepared using a food processor and autoclaved at 120 ºC
for 30 minutes. Acrylamide analysis was performed at the Health Board Tartu Laboratory using an accredited LCMS/
MS method. Sample extraction was conducted using the QuEChERS method. The acrylamide detection and
quantification limits (LOD 10–17 μg/kg, LOQ 30–50 μg/kg) were determined based on the food matrix, with an
expanded uncertainty of 20%. The results showed that acrylamide levels varied significantly depending on the
vegetable variety and processing method. Fried potato products made from varietis with lower reducing sugar
content remained below the EU benchmark values, while those with higher reducing sugar content exceeded these
values. In potato chips, acrylamide levels exceeded the benchmark regardless of the reducing sugar content.
Among vegetable-based crisps, the highest acrylamide levels were detected in carrot crisps, followed by highsugar
potato crisps. For purees, the lowest acrylamide concentration was found in a puree made from the pumpkin
variety Gold Medal, where levels were below the quantification limit. In contrast, purees made from the Big Mac
pumpkin variety and other vegetable purees exceeded the EU reference values (40 μg/kg) for baby food. We found
that storage conditions significantly influenced acrylamide formation. Potatoes stored at 3 °C accumulated higher
reducing sugar levels, leading to increased acrylamide formation during heat processing. For example, after six
months of storage, potato puree from the Birgit variety contained 686 μg/kg acrylamide when stored at 3 °C,
compared to 221 μg/kg when stored at 8 °C. A similar trend was observed in the potato Laura variety, where
reducing sugar content was 1.5 times higher in potatoes stored at 3 °C compared to 8 °C, resulting in a 1.4 times
higher acrylamide level in the processed puree. High increase in acrylamide content was seen for carrots stored at
8 °C, which led to increased reducing sugars and increased acrylamide formation, particularly in the Berlin variety
(1354 μg/kg). These findings emphasize the importance of selecting suitable storage temperatures and vegetable
varieties to minimize acrylamide formation in processed products, especially for vegetable based infant foods.
Kirjeldus
Märksõnad
acrylamide, storage conditions, reducing sugars, processing, vegetable-based foods, abstracts