August 11/Ottawa, Ontario/Chemical & Chemistry -- A report, "Antioxidant Capacity of Potato Chips and Snapshot Trends in Acrylamide Content in Potato Chips and Cereals on the Canadian Market," is newly published data in Food Additives & Contaminants Part A, Chemistry, Analysis, Control, Exposure & Risk Assessment. According to recent research from Ottawa, Canada, "The concentration of acrylamide was measured in selected varieties of five brands of potato chips and breakfast cereals over a five-year period. Most of the products were purchased in one locality in Canada."

"Samples were analyzed by an isotope dilution ((13)C(3)) acrylamide method. They were extracted with water, partitioned with dichloromethane, filtered through a 5kDa centrifuge filter, cleaned-up on HLB Oasis polymeric and Accucat mixed mode anion and cation exchange SPE columns, and analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The acrylamide concentration in potato chips varied from 106 to 4,630ng g(-1), while values in cereals varied from 50 to 347ng g(-1). Wide variations were observed between brands, within brands over time, and between lots of the same brand. A subset of potato chip samples was analysed for in vitro antioxidant activity," wrote A. Becalski and colleagues.

The researchers concluded, "No relationship was found between antioxidative capacity of potato chips and their acrylamide content."

Becalski and colleagues published their study in Food Additives & Contaminants Part A, Chemistry, Analysis, Control, Exposure & Risk Assessment ("Antioxidant Capacity of Potato Chips and Snapshot Trends in Acrylamide Content in Potato Chips and Cereals on the Canadian Market," Food Additives & Contaminants Part A, Chemistry, Analysis, Control, Exposure & Risk Assessment, 2010;27(9):1193-8).

For additional information, contact A. Becalski, Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Research Division, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

From the August 16, 2010, Prepared Foods E-dition