HMF and Acrylamide Formation in Biscuits

Biscuits are food products obtained by baking grain products by fermenting them chemically. HMF and acrylamide formations have been observed in biscuits as a result of high heat treatment applications.

Free amino acids, proteins or peptides found in foods are reduced by free amino groups. Non-enzymatic browning reactions between sugars are called "Maillard Reaction". The reaction occurs as a result of heat processing of foods. Factors that change the occurrence of Maillard reactions;
- Type and amount of reacting components,
- pH of the environment,
- Temperature of the environment
- Water activity

Hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF), furfural, acrylamide and melanoidins (reaction end product brown pigment) are the most well-known Maillard reaction products.

HMF is not found in fresh and unprocessed food products. However, it increases rapidly with heat treatment and storage in carbohydrate-rich foods and can exceed 1 g/kg in dried fruits and caramel products.

Acrylamide is another of the products such as HMF that emerge as a result of heat treatments applied to food products. Acrylamide, which is formed at temperatures above 120°C, is released as a result of the reaction between asparagine and glucose, especially when carbohydrate-rich food products are fried, boiled and grilled.

It has been determined as a result of studies that HMF (0.5-182.5 mg/kg) and acrylamide (37-4200 mg/kg) can be found.