Source of arsenic in licorice confectionery products |
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Authors: | Carbonell-Barrachina Angel Antonio Aracil Pedro García Elena Burló Francisco Martínez-Sánchez Francisco |
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Institution: | División Tecnología de Alimentos, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Carretera de Beniel, km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain. angel.carbonell@umh.es |
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Abstract: | Spanish legislation sets a maximum level for total arsenic (As) in confectionery products at 0.1 microg g(-)(1). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration limitations for glycyrrhizic acid in hard and soft candies are 160 and 31 mg g(-)(1), respectively. Arsenic and glycyrrhizic acid were determined in 22 different confectionery products: 9 throat pearls, 4 hard candies, and 9 soft candies. Arsenic and glycyrrhizic acid were quantified by atomic absorption spectrometry with hydride generation and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. Levels of glycyrrhizic acid were always below the maximum limits established by the U.S. FDA; however, the As concentration in seven of nine throat pearls (0.55 +/- 0.15 microg g(-)(1)) were above the Spanish maximum limit. A clear empirical relationship between the arsenic and glycyrrhizic acid concentrations was observed (R (2) = 0.9357), implying that to avoid high levels of potentially toxic arsenic in licorice confections high-quality licorice extract should be used. |
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