Furan formation from ingredient interactions and furan mitigation by sugar alcohols and antioxidants of bamboo leaves in milk beverage model systems.

Furan is a potential carcinogen that can be formed in various heat-treated foods, including milk beverages. Studies on the formation and mitigation of furan in milk beverages are rare. In the present study, the effects of ingredients on furan formation and the reduction of furan by sugar alcohols and antioxidants of bamboo leaves (AOB) were investigated in a milk beverage model system.The results obtained demonstrated that the Maillard reaction is the major pathway for furan formation in a milk beverage model system, and the type of sugar has a great influence on furan formation. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS 55) was more favorable for furan formation than sucrose. Thermal oxidation of ascorbic acid and lipids significantly enhanced furan generation. Xylitol, sorbitol and mannitol inhibited furan formation in model systems by replacing sucrose or HFCS. The maximum inhibition percentage of furan formation was observed when sucrose/HFCS was substituted completely by xylitol and the inhibition rate was 78.28% and 88.64% separately for the sucrose/HFCS-containing system. AOB significantly inhibited furan formation and the inhibition rate reached 32.13% and 28.52% separately for the sucrose/HFCS-containing system.The present study demonstrates that the use of sugar alcohols and AOB could be a feasible way of reducing furan formation in thermally processed milk beverages. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.