Measuring Concentrations of Acrylamide in Brewed Coffee

Amino acids, like asparagine, react with sugars via the Maillard reaction to form compounds that contribute to the color and flavor of roasted foods. However, some undesired products also form during this reaction, one of them being acrylamide. Acrylamide is a neurotoxin and a potential endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC), and increased dietary amounts of acrylamide have been linked to different types of cancers, 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. In this study, acrylamide is extracted from the brewed coffee using simplified liquid extraction and analyzed alongside known standards using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The accuracy of the method has been validated using a standard reference material. This method has been used to quantify acrylamide concentrations in various types of brewed coffee and 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 improving precision and accuracy using the established method and applying the method to investigate trends of acrylamide formation in various types of brewed coffee.