Measurement of Acrylamide in Potato Chips by Portable FTIR Analyzers

Importance of the topic

Acrylamide is a probable human carcinogen formed when carbohydrate‐rich foods such as potato chips, fries, bread and coffee are fried, roasted or baked at high temperatures. Regulatory agencies and food producers worldwide seek rapid, reliable methods to monitor and control acrylamide levels during processing to ensure consumer safety and meet legal limits.

Objectives and Study Overview

This application note evaluates the performance of portable Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) analyzers for measuring acrylamide in potato chips. The goal is to compare on‐site FTIR results with those from established laboratory methods (LC‐MS/MS) and demonstrate an efficient quality control approach with minimal sample preparation.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Samples from 64 potato chip batches (regular, seasoned and sweet varieties) were pressed into thin cakes to remove excess oil and ground into powder. Infrared spectra (4000–700 cm-1) were acquired using diamond attenuated total reflectance (ATR) on portable FTIR analyzers. Spectra were normalized and converted to second derivatives (Savitsky‐Golay filter), then subjected to partial least squares regression (PLSR) against reference LC‐MS/MS acrylamide concentrations. Data acquisition and instrument control were performed with Agilent MicroLab software, and multivariate analyses used Pirouette (Infometrix Inc.).

Used Instrumentation

• Agilent 5500 FTIR analyzer with single-reflection diamond ATR (at-site lab analysis)
• Agilent 4500 battery‐powered FTIR analyzer (field and plant floor measurements)
• Agilent Cary 630 FTIR spectrometer (multi-purpose laboratory QA/QC)

Main Results and Discussion

Acrylamide levels determined by LC‐MS/MS ranged from 169 to 2453 µg/kg. Portable FTIR PLSR models for regular chips achieved correlation coefficients (r) up to 0.95 and prediction errors (SEP) near 75 µg/kg. Seasoned and sweet chip models yielded comparable performance (SECV 75–98 µg/kg, r 0.92–0.98). These results align with acceptable acrylamide thresholds and demonstrate FTIR’s capability to match laboratory accuracy.

Practical Benefits and Applications

• On‐site, real‐time acrylamide quantification without solvents or consumables
• Reduced sample preparation time compared to GC-MS or LC-MS/MS
• Actionable results at production, receiving, and field locations
• Enhanced quality control to prevent out‐of‐spec batches and ensure compliance
• Lower operator expertise required for reliable measurements

Future Trends and Applications

• Integration of portable FTIR with IoT and data analytics platforms for continuous monitoring
• Extension of ATR-FTIR methods to other food contaminants and process markers
• Further miniaturization and automation to support rapid screening in diverse environments
• Development of comprehensive spectral libraries for broader food quality and safety applications

Conclusion

Portable ATR-FTIR analyzers deliver acrylamide measurements in potato chips that rival conventional mass spectrometry methods while eliminating solvents and reducing analysis time. Their compact design, ease of use and on‐site deployment capability make them valuable tools for modern food quality and safety management.

References

• [1] Ayvaz H, Rodriguez-Saona L. Application of Handheld and Portable Spectrometers for Screening Acrylamide Content in Commercial Potato Chips. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2013.
• [2] Agilent Technologies. Agilent’s FTIR family – lab results, anywhere you want. Publication 5991-1405EN, October 2012.