Evaluation of acrolein content in food products from South Korea using LC-MS/MS

Acrolein is a chemical recognized for its significant threat to human health due to its potential presence in water, soil, and food sources. Although extensive research has explored the analytical methods, formation mechanisms, and toxicity of acrolein, there remains a critical lack of data regarding its prevalence in agricultural foods, particularly in vegetables and fruits. This study addresses this gap by developing a novel method for the extraction, purification, and quantification of acrolein in diverse food matrices and provides a comprehensive evaluation of acrolein contamination levels in foods distributed in South Korea. The analysis of acrolein using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) demonstrated a high level of reliability, exhibiting linearity (R 2 > 0.99), a limits of detection (LOD) ranging from 0.14 to 1.73 μg/kg, a limits of quantification (LOQ) from 0.43 to 5.24 μg/kg, a lowest validated level (LVL) was 5 μg/kg an recovery range of 82.12 %–119.30 %, and relative standard deviations (RSDs) from 0.52 % to 12.11 %. A total of over 100 food samples were analyzed and categorized into four matrices: high-moisture solid foods, low-moisture solid foods, high-fat solid foods, and high-fat liquid foods. Acrolein detection rates were as fallows: 85 % in high-fat liquid foods, 60 % in high-moisture solid foods, 79 % in low-moisture solid foods, and 75 % in high-fat solid foods. In livestock and marine products, the average acrolein concentration was 36.22 ± 7.84 μg/kg, while fruits, vegetables and grain contained an average of 20.52 ± 13.29 μg/k. Oils showed relatively high levels at an average of 36.22 ± 30.31 μg/kg. Notably, acrolein was detected in non-heat-treated agricultural foods, challenging the traditional assumption that acrolein forms exclusively during thermal processing. The detection of acrolein across various food matrices, including non-heat-treated foods, emphasizes the need for further research to elucidate the formation mechanisms of acrolein formation. • Acrolein was detected in non-thermally processed agricultural food products. • High-fat liquid foods showed 100 % acrolein detection across all tested food samples. • Acrolein was found in oil, seafood, and livestock products, independent of heating. • Developed a highly sensitive LC-MS/MS method for accurate acrolein detection in food.