Dietary exposure, carcinogenic and neurotoxic risk assessment of acrylamide in breakfast cereals marketed in Lebanon and the UAE

Abstract

This study assessed acrylamide (AA) content in breakfast cereals marketed in Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and examined the associated dietary, carcinogenic, and neurotoxic risks. Following a comprehensive market screening, a total of 21 stock keeping units (SKUs) from Lebanon and 76 from the UAE were identified, collected, and analyzed for AA using LC-MS/MS. At the same time, a food frequency questionnaire involved 845 participants gathered information on breakfast cereal consumption habits, body weight, and demographic details. AA was found in all samples, with average levels of 525.75 µg/kg in Lebanon and 573.02 µg/kg in the UAE, both exceeding many reported international levels. Estimated dietary exposures were 0.39 µg/kg-bw/day in Lebanon and 0.53 µg/kg-bw/day in the UAE, accounting for about 25% of the WHO’s maximum tolerable daily intake. Although neurotoxic risk assessments based on US-EPA reference values suggested low concern for average consumers, carcinogenic risk against NFCA and WHO limits indicated an increased risk for average and high consumers, particularly for products with above-average AA levels. Carcinogenic risk assessment showed that average acrylamide exposure from breakfast cereals reached 0.39 µg/kg-bw/day in Lebanon and 0.53 µg/kg-bw/day in the UAE, exceeding the NFCA and WHO reference values by 2.8–4.9 fold and 3.8–6.6 fold, respectively. Product origin, addition of chocolate or nuts, and processing methods significantly ( p < 0.05) affected AA concentrations. The findings highlight the urgent need for strategies to reduce AA levels in breakfast cereal products and to improve regulatory control in developing countries to limit long-term health risks.

Keywords: Acrylamide, Breakfast Cereals, Carcinogenicity, Food Safety, LCMS-MS, Neurotoxicty