title: Factors influencing acrylamide formation in gingerbread.
abstract: The influence of ingredients, additives, and process conditions on the acrylamide formation in gingerbread was investigated. The sources for reducing sugars and free asparagine were identified and the effect of different baking agents on the acrylamide formation was evaluated. Ammonium hydrogencarbonate strongly enhanced the acrylamide formation, but its N-atom was not incorporated into acrylamide, nor did acrylic acid form acrylamide in gingerbread. Acrylamide concentration and browning intensity increased both with baking time and correlated with each other. The use of sodium hydrogencarbonate as baking agent reduced the acrylamide concentration by more than 60%. Free asparagine was a limiting factor for acrylamide formation, but the acrylamide content could also be lowered by replacing reducing sugars with sucrose or by adding moderate amounts of organic acids. A significant reduction of the acrylamide content in gingerbread can be achieved by using sodium hydrogencarbonate as baking agent, minimizing free asparagine, and avoiding prolonged baking.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), ETH-Zentrum, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland. thomas.amrein@ilw.agrl.ethz.ch
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Amrein
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schönbächler
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Escher
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amadò
mesh_terms: D020106:Acrylamide / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D000179:Acrylates / Q000032:analysis; D001215:Asparaginase / Q000737:chemistry; D001216:Asparagine / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D001939:Bread / Q000032:analysis*; D002241:Carbohydrates; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000032:analysis; D003296:Cooking; D005502:Food; D005504:Food Analysis; D005511:Food Handling; D005519:Food Preservation; D005998:Glycine / Q000032:analysis; D006358:Hot Temperature; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D013395:Sucrose / Q000032:analysis; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000179:Acrylates; D001639:Bicarbonates; D002241:Carbohydrates; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D020106:Acrylamide; D019343:Citric Acid; D013395:Sucrose; D001216:Asparagine; D001215:Asparaginase; C036658:acrylic acid; D005998:Glycine