Effect of cooking or handling conditions on the furan levels of processed foods

• Published in: Food additives & contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment Vol. 26; no. 6; pp. 767 - 775
• Main Authors: Kim, T.-K., Lee, Y.-K., Park, Y.S., Lee, K.-G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis Group 01.06.2009; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Carcinogens - analysis; cooking; Food Contamination - analysis; Food Handling - methods; Food industries; Food Preservation - methods; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; furan; Furans - analysis; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS); Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry - methods; General aspects; Handling, storage, packaging, transport; Humans; Infant; Maillard Reaction; processed foods; Republic of Korea; Solid Phase Microextraction - methods; solid-phase microextraction (SPME); Temperature; Republic of Korea; Solid phase microextraction; Gas chromatography; Heat treatment; Cooking; furan; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS); solid-phase microextraction (SPME); Processed food; Mass spectrometry; processed foods; Handling
• ISSN: 1944-0049; 1944-0057
• DOI: 10.1080/02652030902774656

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible effects of cooking or handling conditions on the concentration of furan in processed foods. The analytical method used to analyse furan levels in foods was optimized based on solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS). In baby soups, the concentration of furan decreased by up to 22% after opening a lid for 10 min. In the baby food in retort packaging, the level of furan was reduced by 15-33% after heating the foods at 50°C without a lid. Furan in rice seasonings was evaporated completely after heating the foods at 60°C. Regarding powered milk, the levels of furan were too low to be compared under various conditions. The levels of furan decreased to 58% in beverage products for babies, after storing them at 4°C for 1 day without a lid. The levels of furan in canned foods such as cereal and vegetable were reduced by zero to 52% when they were stored without stirring in a refrigerator at 4°C for 1 day. When we boiled canned fish, the furan present was almost completely evaporated. It is recommended that canned meats be heated up to 50-70°C for the reduction (26-46%) of furan levels. The levels of furan in instant and brewed coffee samples were significantly reduced after storing for 11 to 20 min at room temperature without a lid (p < 0.05).