Typical factors that affect chemical changes in a finished product are temperature, oxygen, humidity and light. Food quality is therefore dependent on the storage and distribution temperature and how the food is protected with the aid of packaging. Undesirable chemical changes, such as the creation of acrylamide, may also occur during processing
Research area
Chemical changes
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A food product will change during the course of storage, not just because of microbial growth but also because of chemical changes. Substances in the food, such as vitamins, will be gradually degraded and new chemical substances may be created during storage because of oxidation and enzyme processes.
Research area within Chemical changes
Acrylamide
In 2002 few researchers knew much about acrylamide in food. A great deal of research has been done since then and we now know much more about what acrylamide is and how it is created. Acrylamide is considered to be a poison and is believed to be potentially carcinogenic. Until now no significant finds have been made, which gives grounds for concluding that acrylamide is less dangerous than was first thought.
