Acrylamide is the product of the Maillard reaction, which occurs when starchy, asparagine‐rich foods including potato or grain products and coffee are fried, baked, roasted, or heated. Studies in rodents provide evidence that acrylamide is carcinogenic and a male reproductive harmful agent when administered in exceedingly high levels. A 2002 study identified acrylamide in popular consumer food and beverage products, stimulating the European Union (EU) and California to legislate public notice of acrylamide presence in fried and baked foods, and coffee products. The regulatory legislation enacted in the EU and California has scientists working to develop foods and processes aimed at reducing acrylamide formation and advancing rapid and accurate analytical methods for the quantitative and qualitative determination of acrylamide in food and beverage products. The purpose of this review is to survey the studies performed on rodents and humans that identified the potential health impact of acrylamide in the human diet, and provide insight into established and emerging analytical methods used to detect acrylamide in blood, aqueous samples, and food.

Qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of organosulfides extracted from oil obtained by steam distillation of yellow onions was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The extraction efficiency of organosulfides from onion oil was evaluated across four solvents: dichloromethane; diethyl ether; n-pentane; and hexanes. Analysis of solvent extracted organosulfides by GC-MS provided qualitative results that support the use of dichloromethane over other solvents based on identification of 27 organosulfides from the dichloromethane extract as compared to 10 from diethyl ether; 19 from n-pentane; and 17 from hexanes. Semi-quantitative evaluation of organosulfides present in the dichloromethane extract was performed using diallyl disulfide as the internal reference standard. Three organosulfides were detected in the extract at ≥5 mg/kg; 18 organosulfides between 3–5 mg/kg; and six organosulfides at <3 mg/kg. The E/Z isomers of 1-propenyl propyl trisulfide were among the most prevalent components extracted from the onion oil across all solvents; and 3,6-diethyl-1,2,4,5-tetrathiane was among the most abundant organosulfides in all solvents except hexanes. The method described here for the extraction of organosulfides from steam distilled onion oil surveys common solvents to arrive at a qualitative and semi-quantitative method of analysis for agricultural products involving onions; onion oil; and secondary metabolites of Allium spp.

The purpose of this experimental review was to detect acrylamide in French fries using methods most adaptable to the food process industry for quality control assessment of products. French fries were prepared at different cook times using the same fryer oil over a five-day period to assess the influence of oil degradation and monitor trends in acrylamide formation. Acrylamide detection was performed using LC-MS, GC-MS and FT-NIR. The low levels of acrylamide produced during frying, low molecular weight of the analyte, and complexity of the potato matrix make routine acrylamide measurement challenging in a well-outfitted analytical lab with trained personnel. The findings of this study are presented from the perspective of pros and cons of each acrylamide measurement method in enough detail for food processors to appraise the method that may work best for them based on their available instrumentation and extent of personnel training.

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Drug development is a complicated, slow and expensive process with high failure rates. One strategy to mitigate these factors is to recycle existing drugs with viable safety profiles and have gained Food and Drug Administration approval following extensive clinical trials. Cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases are difficult to treat, and there exist few effective therapeutics, necessitating the development of new, more efficacious drugs. Recent scientific studies have led to a mechanistic understanding of heart and brain disease progression, which has led researchers to assess myriad drugs for their potential as pharmacological treatments for these ailments. The focus of this review is to survey strategies for the selection of drug repurposing candidates and provide representative case studies where drug repurposing strategies were used to discover therapeutics for cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, with a focus on anti-inflammatory processes where new drug alternatives are needed.