Acrylamide in Food: From Maillard Reaction to Public Health Concern

TL;DR

Acrylamide, a harmful chemical formed in cooked foods, poses health risks and requires new strategies for detection and reduction.

Contribution

This review provides a comprehensive update on acrylamide formation, detection, mitigation, and health impacts from 2013 to 2025.

Findings

LC–MS/MS enables trace-level acrylamide detection (≤10 µg/kg), aiding compliance and process optimization.

Mitigation strategies like vacuum frying and predictive modeling can reduce acrylamide by up to 70% in some foods.

Polyphenols and fibers may lower acrylamide formation and bioavailability through detoxification mechanisms.

Abstract

Acrylamide is a heat-induced food contaminant that can be formed through the Maillard reaction between reducing sugars and asparagine in carbohydrate-rich foods. It is recognized as having carcinogenic, neurotoxic, and reproductive risks, prompting global regulatory and research attention. This review synthesizes recent advances (2013–2025) in understanding acrylamide’s formation mechanisms, detection methods, mitigation strategies, and health implications. Analytical innovations such as LC–MS/MS have enabled detection at trace levels (≤10 µg/kg), supporting process optimization and compliance monitoring. Effective mitigation strategies combine cooking adjustments, ingredient reformulation, and novel technologies, including vacuum frying, ohmic heating, and predictive modeling, which can achieve up to a 70% reduction in certain food categories. Dietary polyphenols and fibers also hold promise, lowering acrylamide formation and bioavailability through carbonyl trapping and enhanced detoxification. However, significant gaps remain in bioavailability assessment, analysis of metabolic fate (glycidamide conversion), and standardized global monitoring. This review emphasizes that a sustainable reduction in dietary acrylamide requires a multidisciplinary framework integrating mechanistic modeling, green processing, regulatory oversight, and consumer education. Bridging science, industry, and policy is essential to ensure safer food systems and minimize long-term public health risks.

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