Chloropropanols and their esters in cereal products

Abstract

Chloropropanols, in particular monochloropropanediols (MCPDs) are food contaminants that can form in the high temperature crust region of cereal products. Previous studies have indicated that MCPD-esters may be formed from a reaction between chloride ions and some lipids, although, to date, these compounds have not been reported in cereal products. MCPD-esters were extracted into an organic solvent and cleaned up by a preparative thin-layer chromatography procedure. Sample extracts were analysed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and the data compared with that obtained from a reference MCPD-ester, prepared by a custom synthesis. A faster method using enzyme hydrolysis and GC/MS showed that MCPD-esters could also be determined as the amount of 3-MCPD released by a commercial lipase from Aspergillus oryzae. Under the conditions of enzyme hydrolysis, model system studies indicated that low levels of MCPDs might also be generated by a lipase catalysed reaction between short chain triacylglycerols and chloride ions.