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Mechanism of Formation Furan and Methyl Furan
Precursors in Food
The combination of food by-products, including amino acids, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, carbohydrates and unsaturated fatty acids, can produce furan. The pathways
described below were investigated and confirmed for foods in model systems. Furan
is formed by using various paths and different precursors. Furan formation pathways are as follow:
1. Furan via amino acids thermal degradation.
2. Furan via ascorbic acids oxidation.
3. Furan via oxidation of PUFA and carotenoids.
4. Furan through degradation of Carbohydrates.
From thermal degradation, furan is formed utilizing ascorbic acids as precursors
and in some cases, ascorbic acids derivatives can also be used as precursors. In
Maillard reaction, that is very common in furan formation, lipids, reducing sugars,
amino acids and organic acids are used [28, 30–32]. The furan formation mechanism was studied by [33] in that study they labelled the carbon atom 13C3 in different precursors such as sugar, amino acids and ascorbic acids. These were then
heat-treated at 25 °C and furan formation was measured by each of these precursors.
From reaction mixture, the highest concentration of furan was observed in ascorbic
acids and its derivatives. These findings were again confirmed by [34] experiments
and established that ascorbic acids are the best candidate for formation of furan.
Fig. 12.2 Role of thermally processed foodstuffs in causing cancer on the example of 5-hydroxy
methyl furfural metabolism
S. Muzammil et al.
Mechanism of Formation Furan and Methyl Furan
Precursors in Food
The combination of food by-products, including amino acids, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, carbohydrates and unsaturated fatty acids, can produce furan. The pathways
described below were investigated and confirmed for foods in model systems. Furan
is formed by using various paths and different precursors. Furan formation pathways are as follow:
1. Furan via amino acids thermal degradation.
2. Furan via ascorbic acids oxidation.
3. Furan via oxidation of PUFA and carotenoids.
4. Furan through degradation of Carbohydrates.
From thermal degradation, furan is formed utilizing ascorbic acids as precursors
and in some cases, ascorbic acids derivatives can also be used as precursors. In
Maillard reaction, that is very common in furan formation, lipids, reducing sugars,
amino acids and organic acids are used [28, 30–32]. The furan formation mechanism was studied by [33] in that study they labelled the carbon atom 13C3 in different precursors such as sugar, amino acids and ascorbic acids. These were then
heat-treated at 25 °C and furan formation was measured by each of these precursors.
From reaction mixture, the highest concentration of furan was observed in ascorbic
acids and its derivatives. These findings were again confirmed by [34] experiments
and established that ascorbic acids are the best candidate for formation of furan.
Fig. 12.2 Role of thermally processed foodstuffs in causing cancer on the example of 5-hydroxy
methyl furfural metabolism
S. Muzammil et al.