Occurrence and analytical methods of acrylamide in heat-treated foods

In early 2002, Swedish National Food Administration (SNFA) and University of Stockholm together announced that certain foods that are processed or cooked at high temperature contain relatively high levels of acrylamide. The occurrence of acrylamide is derived from heat-induced reactions between the amino group of asparagine and the carbonyl group of reducing sugars during baking and frying. Corresponding chromatographic methods are used to determine various structural groups present during this process. Gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry (MS) and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis are both acknowledged as the major useful and authoritative methods for the acrylamide determination and other chromatographic methods are also briefly introduced. The aim of this review is to summarize the state-of-the-art about the occurrence, analytical methods, and extraction and clean-up procedures of acrylamide. Special attention is given to chromatographic techniques applied for the occurrence and determination of acrylamide.