Measuring Concentrations of Acrylamide in Brewed Coffee

The color and flavor of roasted foods arises from molecules that are formed when amino acids, like asparagine, react with sugars via the Maillard reaction. However, some undesired products also form during this reaction, one of them being acrylamide.  Acrylamide has been detected in tobacco smoke, tea, coffee and water. Acrylamide was not detected in green coffee beans; therefore, roasting is required to form this chemical. The frequency with which the public is exposed to acrylamide and the magnitude of that exposure is a public health concern because acrylamide is known to have a variety of toxic effects. Acrylamide is a neurotoxin and a potential endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC), and increased dietary amounts of acrylamide have been linked to different types of cancer, including ovary, renal and endometrial. EDCs can impair the endocrine system in a variety of ways including mimicking hormonal activity, interfering with metabolism, excretion and release. As a neurotoxin, acrylamide can affect memory, cognitive function and learning.  The younger population is the most susceptible to the effects of EDCs, and foods containing acrylamide are popular and consumed in large amounts within that population, such as chicken nuggets, french fries, cereal, and cookies. In this study, acrylamide is extracted from brewed coffee using simplified liquid extraction and analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The accuracy of the method has been validated using a standard reference material of fortified instant coffee. This method has been used to quantify acrylamide concentrations in various types of brewed coffee and to investigate the effects of variables such as type of roast, decaffeination, and bean origin. Our results suggest that differences in roast or caffeination do not significantly affect acrylamide concentrations in brewed coffee. Ongoing studies include further improving method precision and continuing to investigate trends in acrylamide formation in various types of brewed coffee.