Overview of Toxicants Formed During Food Processing

Contents

No Items Pages

1 Contents 1

2 Introduction 2

3 Toxicants formed during food processing 3~9

3.1 Acrylamide 3

3.2 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons 4~5

3.3 Nitrosamine 5~6

3.4 Benzene 7

3.5 Chorinated compounds 8

3.6 Amino acid Pyrolysates 9

4 Conclusion 10

5 References 11

Introduction

For most foods, the faster it spoils, the healthier it is. However, in the globalisation and rapid invention of technologies plus the shifting eating habit of mankind, we need our food to last for as long as possible. For this purpose of increasing food’s shelf life, the food industry has created an era of convenience for consumers through packaged, preserved, emulsified, pasteurized, sterilized, irradiated, chemically altered foods and all sorts of food processing techniques. The needs for food processing is simple as living foods contain dense amount of nutrients and will perish within days to weeks while processed foods can last months or even years due to the removal of all microorganisms, enzymes, oxygen, and moisture in food. The development of food processing technology has indeed expanded the potential of food supplies greatly in the modern era. Despite the advantages of being shelf-stable for a longer period, there is still advice that tells us to avoid processed foods as much as possible. At this point, we are wondering what processed foods are and why it is so important to avoid them.

A broad definition of "processed food" is food that is changed from its natural, raw state. Processed food is food altered chemically by additives such as flavours, flavour enhancers, binders, colours, fillers, preservatives, stabilizers, emulsifiers, etc., or which has been manufactured through combining them or using other processing methods. Just take a look on some of the processed foods that may be bad for your health. Breads and pastas made with refined white flour instead of whole grains to improve their appearance but causes high glycemic index value, high-calorie snack foods like chips and candies which contains high amount of MSG and fats, breakfast cereals such as TRIX which is loaded with sugar results in obesity in most kid.

In order to make the processed food healthier, we may reduce salt, MSG, fats, colouring, additives and so on in the processing of food. However, we may overlook something more important. That is the toxicants formed during food processing. The formation of toxicants has a close relationship with the composition of foods and type of processing methods. In the following review, we are going to learn its occurrence, properties, effect and regulation on 6 selected toxicants which are commonly found in food consumed by us.

Toxicants formed during food processing

Acrylamide

Acrylamide is an odourless and colourless crystalline solid that is formed in many foods cooked or processed at temperatures above 120°C, especially in carbohydrate-rich foods.