Inhibition of Acrylamide Generation by Hydrostatic Pressure and Cysteine Addition

We investigated the effect of medium high hydrostatic pressure ( ＜ 100 MPa) on acrylamide generation and the Maillard reaction using an equimolar asparagine-glucose aqueous solution adjusted to pH 9.0. The amounts of acrylamide and melanoidins generated and pH were determined after treatment at 70 ℃ and 60 or 90 MPa pressure or atmospheric pressure for up to 72 hours. Comparison of acrylamide and melanoidins contents revealed that pressure inhibited acrylamide generation in this solution. When added to the same solution, cysteine markedly inhibited acrylamide generation independent of pressure under the condition of 70 ℃ at 90 MPa or atmospheric pressure for 24 hours. Based on these results, under the same condition as the cysteine addition experiment, we examined the inhibitory effect of pressure and cysteine on acrylamide generation using a non-centrifugal cane sugar (NCS) solution at pH 5.5, which contains a relatively large amount of acrylamide. Adding cysteine to the NCS solution reduced its original amount of acrylamide and inhibited acrylamide generation during heat treatment. Pressurization of a cysteine-free NCS solution promoted acrylamide generation, but that of an NCS solution with high cysteine concentration promoted acrylamide decrease. These results suggest that acrylamide generation and the Maillard reaction during food processing might be regulated by medium high hydrostatic pressure and cysteine addition.