2019 AOAC Furans WG Book

Exposure (EFSA, 2017)

Exposure to furan – Main contributors: • Infants ( highest exposure ): Ready‐to‐eat meals • Other children: Grains and grain‐based products • Adults: Coffee ( highest concentrations ) Inclusion of alkyl furans in the assessment can  significantly increase the exposure: e.g. , 2‐methylfuran concentration in coffee is about  4‐times higher than furan concentration

Occurrence in Foods (EFSA, 2017)

Ground roasted coffee  ( n = 117) • Furan

762–5434 µg/kg 

(mean 3,145 µg/kg) (mean 18,338 µg/kg) (mean 694 µg/kg)

• 2‐Methylfuran • 3‐Methylfuran

4,724–34,378 µg/kg  190–2,597 µg/kg 

Instant coffee ( n = 64) • Furan

17–3,394 µg/kg  135–15,932 µg/kg  10–1,853 µg/kg 

(mean 627 µg/kg) (mean 2,472 µg/kg) (mean 161 µg/kg)

• 2‐Methylfuran • 3‐Methylfuran

Brewed coffee ( n = 16) • Furan

25.1–69.5 µg/kg  109–287 µg/kg  5.0–9.5 µg/kg 

(mean 38.7 µg/kg) (mean 172 µg/kg) (mean 6.4 µg/kg)

• 2‐Methylfuran • 3‐Methylfuran