A contribution to the risk assessment in relation to the formation of toxic aldehydes in foods as a result of lipid oxidation

Lipid containing foods are known to be sensitive to lipid oxidation which is responsible for quality deterioration. Lipid oxidation leads to the formation of hydroperoxides and secondary products such as aldehydes and ketones. Malondialdehyde, 4-hydroxy-nonenal , 4-hydroxy-hexenal and 2-butenal are typical examples of aldehydes generated during the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids and are considered as toxic. Increased consumption of ready-to-eat meals, along with a large demand on ω-3 fatty acid enriched products the last years, has emerged the importance of monitoring and controlling the occurrence of these compounds in foods. This study included development, implementation and validation of reliable analytical methods which allow the determination of secondary oxidation products in various food systems. Once developed, these analytical methods were applied for investigation of the formation of secondary lipid oxidation products in model systems as well as foods available in the Belgian market. Based on the obtained results, an exposure assessment to the target components was carried out taking into account the consumption data of the Belgian population and the potential risk was evaluated