Risk assessment of furan in commercially jarred baby foods, including insights into its occurrence and formation in freshly home-cooked foods for infants and young children

Furan is a possible human carcinogen (IARC group 2B) with widespread occurrence in many types of foods. In this study, a survey of furan contamination in 230 commercially jarred ready-to-eat infant food products was conducted using headspace sampling in combination with gas chromatography mass spectrometry (HS-GC/MS) with a detection limit of 0.2 mu g kg(-1). The incidence of furan contamination in jarred infant beverages, cereals and fruits was relatively low, with average concentrations below 10 mu g kg(-1). Significantly higher concentrations were found in pasta (34.8 +/- 14.5 mu g kg(-1)), meals containing meat (28.2 +/- 15.0 mu g kg(-1)), and meals containing vegetables (31.2 +/- 17.3 mu g kg(-1)). The average exposure of 6-month-old infants to furan was estimated to be 0.2 mu g per kg bodyweight per day. The margin of exposure calculated using the T25 dose descriptor would be 2692, which points to a possible public health risk. In contrast to commercially jarred food products, none of 20 freshly home-prepared baby foods contained furan above the limit of detection. Only after re-heating in closed vessels was furan found to have formed. Furan was especially prevalent in reheated foods containing potatoes, with values ranging between 2.3 and 29.2 mu g kg(-1). The formation of above 1 h and by temperatures above 50 degrees C. Research regarding reduction of furan in commercial baby foods should be conducted, with a priority aimed at reducing this heat-induced contaminant without concomitantly increasing the microbiological risk.