Determination of Furan in Food by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Headspace Sampling

Furan is naturally occurring at low levels in many foods and drinks.1 Furan consumption is of concern because it has been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as possibly carcinogenic to humans, based on studies with laboratory animals. The U.S. FDA has recently published a report on the occurrence of furan in a large number of thermally processed foods, especially canned and jarred foods, including baby foods and infant formulas. The primary source of furan in food is considered to be thermal degradation of carbohydrates, such as glucose, lactose and fructose.