Reducing acrylamide in bread with plant additives: a systematic review.

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Food Safety
• Natural Product Chemistry

Background:

• Acrylamide (AA) formation in thermally processed foods is a significant food safety concern.
• Plant-based additives offer natural strategies for AA mitigation due to bioactive compounds.
• Polyphenols and flavonoids in plants can scavenge reactive intermediates and modulate Maillard reactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the impact of various plant powders and extracts on AA formation in bread.
• To compare the efficacy of different plant-based additives in reducing AA.
• To identify factors influencing AA mitigation by plant additives.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of studies on plant powders and extracts (green tea, rosemary, turmeric, buckwheat, spices).
• Analysis of AA reduction percentages based on additive type, concentration, and food matrix.
• Consideration of processing parameters like baking temperature, duration, and fermentation.

Main Results:

• Plant extracts (green tea, vine tea, rosemary, Tartary buckwheat) demonstrated significant AA reduction (2.7% to 97.1%).
• Certain plant powders (chia seeds, garlic) were found to enhance AA formation.
• Plant extracts generally showed superior performance in AA mitigation compared to powders.

Conclusions:

• Plant extracts are more effective than powders for acrylamide mitigation in food products.
• Additive selection, concentration, and processing parameters are critical for optimizing AA reduction.
• Combined strategies involving antioxidants and fermentation can maximize acrylamide reduction for safer food products.