title: Furan in commercial baby foods from the Spanish market: estimation of daily intake and risk assessment.
abstract: The occurrence of furan in commercial baby food samples from the Spanish market was evaluated using an automated headspace solid-phase microextraction method coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). A total of 76 baby food samples including infant formula, baby cereals, fruit in cans and/or jars, vegetables, meat, and fish, were surveyed for furan content. The lowest concentration of this compound was found in infant formula (<0.02-0.33 ng ml-1), and cereal-based food (0.15-2.1 ng g-1) while baby food containing fish showed the highest concentrations (19-84 ng g-1). Following recommendation of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the effect on furan content was evaluated of consumer home preparation of foods, heating and handling. Furan concentrations were reduced by up to 35% when samples were heated in a dish using microwave oven and by up to 53% when a hot water bath was used. Finally, we estimated the furan intake from baby food consumption (0.002-1.18 µg kg-1body weight day-1) and we calculated the margin of exposure (MOE) from samples as purchased and also after home preparation of the food. For infant formula and cereal baby foods, the MOEs (26,278-412,776) indicated no infant health concern or priority, while for meat and fish-based baby foods the values pointed to a potential public health risk, even considering the furan losses during preparation at home.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Analytical Chemistry , University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: M Soubhi
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Altaki
authors.affiliation: a Department of Analytical Chemistry , University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: F Javier
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8959-0363
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: a Department of Analytical Chemistry , University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Lluis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Puignou
authors.affiliation: a Department of Analytical Chemistry , University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Galceran
mesh_terms: D003132:Commerce; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005504:Food Analysis; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005663:Furans / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000032:analysis*; D019055:No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level; D018570:Risk Assessment; D052617:Solid Phase Microextraction; D013030:Spain
chemical_list: D005663:Furans
keywords: Furan; baby food; food analysis; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; headspace solid-phase microextraction; risk assessment