Study on Volatile Profiles, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, and Acrylamide Formed in Welsh Onion (<i>Allium fistulosum</i> L.) Fried in Vegetable Oils at Different Temperatures

Abstract

Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum L.) is widely used in diverse Asian cuisines, especially in stir-fried and deep-fried foods. This study investigated the effects of different temperatures (140, 165, and 190 °C) and types of the vegetable frying oil (soybean, corn, canola, and palm oils) on the formation of volatile profiles and hazardous compounds [polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and acrylamide] in Welsh onion. Specific volatile chemical groups such as aldehydes, sulfur-containing compounds, and furans/furanones were major volatiles in Welsh onion fried (WOF). The composition of aldehydes and sulfur-containing compounds decreased, while those of furans/furanones increased when WOF samples were exposed to higher temperatures. At 190 °C, PAHs were detected at lower than the EU maximum tolerable limit (the sum of 4 PAHs, <10 µg/kg), and acrylamide was detected below 36.46 μg/kg. The integrated study of both the quality and safety properties can provide fundamental data for the industrial processing of WOF.

Keywords

• Welsh onion
• frying oil temperature
• vegetable oil
• volatile compounds
• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
• acrylamide