title: Relative importance and interactions of furan precursors in sterilised, vegetable-based food systems.
abstract: Mitigation strategies aimed at an intervention in the reaction pathways for furan formation (e.g., by adjusting precursor concentrations) might offer an additional route for furan reduction in sterilised, vegetable-based foods, without adverse effects on other food safety or quality attributes. As a first step towards product reformulation, the aim of the present study was to determine the relative importance and interactions of possible furan precursors in these types of foods. Based on an I-optimal experimental design, potato purée (naturally low in furan precursors) was spiked with known amounts of sugars, ascorbic acid, olive oil and β-carotene, and subjected to a thermal sterilisation. Significant correlations were observed between furan concentrations after thermal treatment and starting concentrations of ascorbic acid and monosaccharides (i.e., fructose and glucose). Ascorbic acid had a clear furan-reducing effect as an antioxidant by protecting (polyunsaturated) fatty acids against oxidative degradation. Fructose and glucose were the main precursors, which can most probably be attributed to their high, but realistic, concentrations in the product. The contributions of fatty acids and β-carotene were strongly dependent on redox interactions with other food constituents. In the same potato purées, only low concentrations (0-2 ng g(-1) purée) of 2-methylfuran were detected, indicating that the direct importance of the spiked food constituents as a precursor for methylfuran formation was rather small. Based on the results of this study, reducing the amount of monosaccharides or adjusting the redox conditions of the matrix are suggested as two possible approaches for furan mitigation on the product side.
authors.affiliation: a KU Leuven Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S) , Laboratory of Food Technology, Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Center (LFoRCe) , Heverlee , Belgium.
authors.forename: Stijn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palmers
authors.affiliation: a KU Leuven Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S) , Laboratory of Food Technology, Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Center (LFoRCe) , Heverlee , Belgium.
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grauwet
authors.affiliation: a KU Leuven Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S) , Laboratory of Food Technology, Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Center (LFoRCe) , Heverlee , Belgium.
authors.forename: Carolien
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buvé
authors.affiliation: a KU Leuven Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S) , Laboratory of Food Technology, Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Center (LFoRCe) , Heverlee , Belgium.
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vanratingen
authors.affiliation: a KU Leuven Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S) , Laboratory of Food Technology, Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Center (LFoRCe) , Heverlee , Belgium.
authors.forename: Biniam T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Kebede
authors.affiliation: b KU Leuven Department of Biosystems (BIOSYST), Division of Mechatronics , Biostatistics and Sensors (MeBioS) , Heverlee , Belgium.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Goos
authors.affiliation: a KU Leuven Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S) , Laboratory of Food Technology, Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Center (LFoRCe) , Heverlee , Belgium.
authors.forename: Marc E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hendrickx
authors.affiliation: a KU Leuven Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S) , Laboratory of Food Technology, Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Center (LFoRCe) , Heverlee , Belgium.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van Loey
mesh_terms: D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005632:Fructose / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D005663:Furans / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D013242:Sterilization; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005663:Furans; D005632:Fructose; D005947:Glucose
keywords: Furan; methylfuran; optimal experimental design; precursor; thermal sterilisation