LAUSR

Abstract Acrylamide, a potential carcinogen is formed when starchy foods are fried or baked above 120 °C. l -asparaginase is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolytic cleavage of the amino acid l -asparagine, the precursor for acrylamide, to l -aspartic acid and ammonia thereby reducing the acrylamide formation in starchy foods. The acrylamide levels in the starchy food products obtained from local market was estimated. The potential of l -asparaginase purified from Fusarium culmorum (ASP-87) to reduce acrylamide formation in potato chips and sweet bread were investigated. The results revealed that high levels of acrylamide ranging from 690 μg kg−1 to 4475 μg kg−1 were detected in the samples collected from local market. The potato chips and sweet bread samples treated with 300 U of l -asparaginase showed 85% and 78% reduction in l -asparagine content and the acrylamide levels of enzyme treated fried potato chips and baked bread reduced to 94% and 86% respectively, compared with the untreated control. Results of the study revealed that acrylamide was formed in starchy food products during frying and baking and l -asparaginase inhibited the formation of acrylamide making it a potential candidate in food processing industry to reduce acrylamide formation in starchy food products.