Abstract

Processing Contaminants: A Problem That Will Not Go Away For The Food Industry and on Which Plant Scientists and Breeders Must Engage

Nigel Halford, Programme Leader, Rothamsted Research

The presence of processing contaminants in common foods is becoming an increasingly important issue for the food industry, as developments in analytical techniques and equipment bring foods under closer and closer scrutiny. It is therefore an issue on which plant scientists and breeders must engage, in order to produce crops with reduced potential for contaminant formation. This presentation will describe the major processing contaminants of cereals and potato, including lipid oxidation products, furan and associated chemicals, including hydroxymethylfurfuryl, and acrylamide. The formation of acrylamide in the Maillard reaction will be covered in detail and the results of projects aimed at reducing the acrylamide-forming potential of wheat, rye and potato will be summarised. These projects aim to improve our knowledge of the genetic, environmental and crop management factors that affect acrylamide-forming potential in crops, and provide breeders with the tools to produce new, low acrylamide risk varieties.