利用頂空固相微萃取技術分析食物中之呋喃

Abstract

呋喃是無色、易揮發的環狀醚類物質，一般用於化學製造工業。由於呋喃於動物實驗中有致癌性，加上近年來陸續有研究及報告指出食物經熱處理後(如：罐頭食品)可能會產生呋喃，因此人體在長時間低劑量接觸情況下有潛在之健康風險。 由於國內仍缺乏食品呋喃含量的基礎資料，為了評估國人經由飲食造成呋喃暴露的可能健康風險，本研究首先建立經熱處理加工食品之呋喃含量檢驗方法，同時收集常見市售食品，並利用頂空固相微萃取技術及結合氣相層析質譜儀(Headspace-solid phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, HS-SPME-GC-MS)、及標準添加法(Standard addition)進行樣本之分析。 本研究首先以 Carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS)纖維進行15分鐘之頂空萃取，接著再以氣相層析質譜儀分析，而所建立的HS-SPME-GC-MS 分析條件，針對不同種類食物的回收率及偵測極限為： 回收率介於75.7% ~126.3%；偵測極限為0.003 ng/g ~0.39 ng/g；定量極限為0.01 ~1.19 ng/g。 本研究針對市售食物產品調查的結果發現，食物中呋喃檢出範圍為0.44至150 ng/g，其中以嬰兒食品、咖啡、及醬汁高湯類，所含呋喃濃度較高。另一方面，本研究亦參考衛生署「國民營養狀況變遷調查1993-1996」等相關資料，進一步推算國人經由飲食造成呋喃暴露的可能劑量，結果發現：咖啡為成人飲食中主要呋喃暴露來源；19-64歲成人經飲用咖啡暴露之平均暴露量為：男性298.32 ng/kg b.w./day，女性176.25 ng/kg b.w./day; 而6個月之嬰兒經奶粉之平均暴露量為0.05 μg/kg b.w./day；開始使用嬰兒副食品之嬰兒經飲食暴露呋喃的量則為1.19 μg/kg b.w./day。

Furan is a colorless, volatile liquid used in some chemical manufacturing industries. Researches have demonstrated that furan forms as a result of traditional heat treatment techniques, such as restoring food in cans and jars. The presence of furan in heat-processed foods is of potential health concern because furan is carcinogenic in mice and rats and has been classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Currently there is no data available regarding the levels of furan in foods in Taiwan, and the potential adverse health effects of furan exposure is unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to develop an analytical method for the determination of furan in foods, and to assess the possible daily intake of furan in humans according to the initial results of furan concentrations measured from local commercial food products. Furan levels in selected foods were determined by using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) technique for sampling and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) for analysis. Due to matrix effects of different food samples, standard addition method was performed in this study. The results indicated that the 75 μm CAR/PDMS SPME fiber coating provided the highest loading of the analyte. The optimum condition of HS-SPME-GC-MS for extraction of furan in foods was 15 minutes. LODs ranged from 0.003 ng/g in lemon juice to 0.39 ng/g for cereal were determined, while LOQs between 0.01 and 1.19 ng/g were obtained. The recoveries ranged from 75.7% to 126.3%. The results showed that the concentrations of furan in foods ranged from 0.44 ng/g to 150 ng/g in various kinds of samples. Higher furan levels were found principally in three categories of foods, including baby foods, coffees, and sauces and broths. Exposures from different food varieties were also estimated. As for adults aged from 16-64 years old, average furan daily intakes were estimated to be 298.32 ng/kg b.w./day for men and 176.25 ng/kg b.w./day for women. It indicated that coffee is the major dietary source of furan for adult. For a six-month-old baby, the average furan daily intake from milk consumption was estimated to be 0.05 μg/kg b.w./day; while for baby food, it was estimated to be 1.19 μg/kg b.w. /day.