Exploring variability in free asparagine seed content in bread wheat (Tritcum aestvum L.) elite varieties to reduce acrylamide-forming potential

Acrylamide, a molecule classified as probable human carcinogen [1], has been detected in a wide range of foods [2]. The reduc9on of acrylamide represents one of the food safety issues which has catalysed the greatest efforts in recent years. As no acrylamide was detected in raw foods, acrylamide was classified as a food processing contaminant. Acrylamide is generated during Maillard reac9ons which occurs under high temperature processes (T>120 °C) and low-moisture condi9ons, typical of frying, roas9ng, baking, toas9ng cooking techniques. Maillard reac9on is a complex sequence of nonenzyma 9c reac9ons star9ng from reducing sugars and free amino acids, such as asparagine. Free asparagine content has been iden9fied as a leading factor in wheat deriva9ves [3]. Our study aims to study free asparagine accumula9on bread wheat (Tri$cum aes$vum L.) elite varie9es to iden9fy contras9ng genotypes for free asparagine accumula9on and assess their acrylamide-forming poten9al. To this purpose we analysed the free asparagine accumula9on in a total of 54 bread wheat cultivars that are relevant for the Italian market. Six field trials in three Italian loca9ons over two years were considered.