Method for reducing acrylamide in corn-based foods, corn-based foods having reduced levels of acrylamide, and article of commerce

• Main Authors: SCHAFERMEYER, RICHARD GERALD, LIN, PETER YAU TAK, ZYZAK, DAVID VINCENT, HOWIE, JOHN KEENEY, ZIMMERMAN, STEPHEN PAUL, STOJANOVIC, MARKO, TERAS, LEE MICHAEL, VILLIGRAN, MARIA DOLORES MARTINEZ-SERNA, SANDERS, ROBERT ALAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 31.05.2009
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES A23B - A23J; HUMAN NECESSITIES; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OFNUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; THEIR TREATMENT, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES

Disclosed is a method for the reduction of acrylamide in corn-based food products, corn-based food products having reduced levels of acrylamide, and an article of commerce. In one aspect, the method comprises reducing the level of asparagine in a corn-based food material before final heating (e.g., cooking) by adding an asparagine-reducing enzyme (such as asparaginase) to the food material before heating. In another aspect, the method comprises adding to a corn-based food material an enzyme capable of hydrolyzing the amide group of free asparagine. In yet another aspect, an article of commerce communicates to the consumer that a corn-based food product has reduced or low levels of acrylamide or asparagine.