Within the framework of a European project of the 6th PCRD, ICARE (Impeding neo-formed contaminants accumulation to reduce their health effects) coordinated by ACTIA* and started in January 2006, ITERG conducted work on the impact of frying processes on the formation of neo-formed contaminants and particularly oxidized sterols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons , trans-fatty acids and cyclic monomers of triglycerides.
In parallel, a Spanish partner carried out the dosing of acrylamide and a French
team from Agroparistech in Beauvais (ISAB**) perfected a spectral imaging
technique to obtain a rapid assessment of the overall level of the neo-formed
contaminants present in a product.
ITERG validated or developed sufficiently effective test techniques to detect and
dose the neo-formed contaminants in fats and monitor their formation during
technological treatments.
The results show a significant effect of cooking conditions on the neo-formed
contaminants content, e.g. for fried/boiled potatoes, grilled/non-grilled sesame seeds, but the levels detected remain in all cases entirely acceptable.
It is also the case for different industrial samples of chips that were tested.
In partnership with the CAUVIN oil factory and the TPE Chips LEBON, ITERG carried out tests to study the impact of the percentage of polyunsaturated acids of the oil on the level of the neo-formed contaminants during repeated operations of frying chips at 180 °C. The oils tested were:
sunflower, oleic sunflower, palm, grape seed, colza and a special mixed frying
oil.Inconsideringregulatory parameters, namely the polymers of triglycerides content or the polar compounds content,the oils best resisting heat degradation according to these tests are: palm, oleic sunflower and colza.
Despite the repetition of a significant number of frying cycles, no formation of
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was noted. A very limited change in the
trans-fatty acids content was recorded for frying carried out with sunflower and
oleicsunfloweroil.Theneo-formed contaminants to be monitored as a priority during the frying of chips are not only acrylamide, but also oxidized sterols and cyclic monomers, the formation of which is increased during frying carried out under extreme conditions (50 frying cycles).
*ACTIA: French Association for Technical Coordination in the Agri-foodstuffs
Industry
**ISAB: Beauvais Higher Agricultural Institute
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