The paper is highly cited as it reveals the finding of the formation of acrylamide, a chemical compound known as an occupational hazard, in heated human foodstuffs. The paper also describes a new LC-MS/MS method for the measurement of acrylamide in foodstuffs.

Yes, the paper describes a new analytical method using LC-MS/MS developed (by S. Ericsson and P. Karlsson) for the analysis of acrylamide in foodstuffs and reveals the finding of the formation of acrylamide in heated human foodstuffs.

Acrylamide is one of the many reactive compounds that react with proteins, for instance the blood protein haemoglobin, and form reaction products so called adducts. Hemoglobin adducts from acrylamide has been observed in blood samples from humans and animals with out known exposures. The dose inferred from the observed background adduct levels from acrylamide in humans correspond to a daily intake of 100m g/adult. Since acrylamide is classified as a probable human carcinogen by IARC the formation of acrylamide in human diet is considered of concern for the general population. The formation of acrylamide was enhanced in carbohydrate-rich foodstuffs, i.e. most staple foods that are daily consumed by the general populations.

My doctoral work concerned the study of background exposure to potential mutagenic/carcinogenic compounds. As a nutritionist I am interested in the human diet, therefore, I decided to study the influence of heating foodstuffs on the formation of low molecular weight reactive compounds that are potential background mutagens/carcinogens.

To investigate this I fed rats, in two consequent experiments, heated or unheated rat feed for 1 or 2 months. I used a method called the N alkyl Edman method (developed by Assoc. Prof. M. Törnqvist, my supervisor) as a tool to investigate the possible formation of low molecular weight reactive compounds formed during heating. Results from these preliminary experiments called for investigations on the formation of acrylamide in heated human diet. These studies revealed the source of the observed background acrylamide adducts in humans and animals to originate mainly from ingestion of heated foodstuffs.