Elimination of Acrylamide by Moderate Heat Treatment below 120 degrees C with Lysine and Cysteine

Acrylamide is a toxic compound generated in processed foods prepared at high temperatures. To explore means by which food processing can reduce the acrylamide content in foods, we studied the reaction of acrylamide with lysine and cysteine, which carry nucleophilic functional groups, at temperatures below the initiation of acrylamide generation. The amino acid-mediated reduction of acrylamide content followed first-order reaction kinetics in aqueous solution below 120 degrees C. The profile of acrylamide decrease correlated well with the formation of a 1:1 adduct of acrylamide with the respective amino acid, indicating that these amino acids reacted directly with acrylamide. The reactivity of acrylamide toward both amino acids was pH-dependent. In particular, the reactivity of cysteine toward acrylamide was remarkably enhanced by an increase in pH. These findings suggested the possibility of reducing acrylamide levels during food processing by treating foods with the appropriate amino acid(s) at moderate temperatures below 120 degrees C.