Effects of different roasting methods on formation of acrylamide in pistachio

Drying and roasting are conventional processes in the nut industry. However, roasting as an important procedure in nuts manufacturing may cause some physicochemical changes in nuts. Acrylamide is one of these chemical compounds that is formed due to the roasting process. Acrylamide is known as a neurotoxicant, carcinogen, and reproductive toxicant. In this study, raw and salted pistachios were roasted under three conditions including hot-air, infrared (IR), and microwave methods. Then, 80 pistachio kernels were analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography. The results showed that all samples contained different ranges of acrylamide between 57 ± 0.86 and 851 ± 2.8 μg/kg. Besides, raw pistachios and sun-dried pistachios also contained acrylamide, with the amount of 57 ± 0.86 and 93 ± 1.07 μg/kg, respectively. The highest acrylamide amount was found in raw pistachio (unsalted) roasted by IR method, while lower acrylamide amount observed in the microwave method. The amount of acrylamide in salted and roasted pistachios was less than just roasted pistachios under the same conditions. Finally, in all the treatments, increasing temperature, time, voltage, and power lead to an increase in acrylamide levels. The results showed that acrylamide in the roasted pistachios may cause health problems. This study presents a novel investigation in the effects of roasting conditions (temperature, power, voltage, and time) on acrylamide content in pistachios.