Identification and quantitation of furan in irradiated and heat processed foods by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

ANYL 30

Kim Morehouse, Timothy P. McNeal, Timothy.McNeal@cfsan.fda.gov, Patricia J. Nyman, pjn@cfsan.fda.gov, Gracia A. Perfetti, and Gregory W. Diachenko. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, HFS-245, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD 20740
In 2001 FDA scientists, while studying the irradiation of apple juice, confirmed that furan is formed at low part-per-billion concentrations. The potential for furan formation by ionizing radiation on other foods was also investigated. During this investigation it was noted that heating the food being analyzed, or the proposed furan precursors, at 100°C also generated furan, but at higher concentrations than found for the irradiated foods. The emphasis of the research then shifted to the determination of furan in heat-processed foods. The presence of furan in food is a potential safety concern because furan is considered a possible human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Results of the research on both irradiated and heat processed foods will be presented.
 

Detection of Process-Induced Contaminants and Biohazards in Foods
1:30 PM-4:50 PM, Sunday, 10 September 2006 Moscone Center -- Room 124, Oral

Division of Analytical Chemistry

The 232nd ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, September 10-14, 2006