Acrylamide content in popcorn from Spanish market: Risk assessment

Snacks, including popcorn, are increasingly consumed in Spain and are susceptible to acrylamide (AA) formation. AA, classified as a probable human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), is produced via the Maillard reaction between reducing sugars and amino acids, particularly glucose, and asparagine, when foods are heated above 120 °C. This study aims to analyze the AA content in 91 popcorn samples, categorized by flavor (salted, butter, caramel, flavored, colored, unflavored) and cooking method (ready-to-eat, popcorn maker, microwave), and assess dietary AA exposure in the Spanish population. Samples were collected from supermarkets, grocery stores, and cinemas across Spain and analyzed using solid-liquid extraction (SLE) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The average AA concentration in the samples was 277 ± 119 μg kg^-1, with only two samples below the limit of quantification (LOQ, 60 μg kg^-1). At the same time, no significant correlation between flavor and AA content was found. Whereas microwave cooking notably increased AA levels. Estimated AA intake for adults and children ranged from 0.011 to 0.045 μg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹, depending on the exposure scenario. In children, a margin of exposure (MOE) below 10,000 was observed for Harderian gland tumors in realistic and pessimistic scenario.