Acrylamide kinetic in plantain during heating process: Precursors and effect of water activity

Almost two thirds of plantain world production is processed by means of deep frying which place it in the same occurrence as potatoes-based food in some tropical regions (Latin America, Central Africa and Southeast Asia). Asparagine content and effect of water activity on acrylamide kinetic in a plantain matrix was surprisingly investigated for the first time. Asparagine content was analyzed in ten edible Musa L., and “Cooking bananas” were found (maximum of 70 mg/100 g db) to be less concentrated than “dessert bananas” (maximum of 321 mg/100 g db). Moreover, asparagine content decreased by 75% after 11 days of post-harvest ripening. Acrylamide formation/elimination kinetics were determined in plantain paste at three different initial water activity values (0.972, 0.904, and 0.430) measured at 25 °C and heated at high temperatures (140-200 °C) in a closed reactor. Acrylamide in plantain was formed at the same magnitude as for potatoes, rye and wheat-based products (max ~ 0.9 ppm, wb). Kinetic parameter estimation was performed using a single response modeling. The reaction kinetic and the estimated kinetic parameters revealed an increase in acrylamide formation and elimination reaction rates with decreasing water activity. The corresponding activation energies of the rate constants remained unaffected.