Consumption of coffee has increased rapidly in Korea over the past few years. Consequently, the probability of exposure to chemical hazards presence in coffee products increases. Furan is a heterocyclic compound, formed mainly from Maillard reaction, therefore present in coffee products. This work demonstrated the strategy to reduce the levels of furan in coffee products at individual consumer level, by investigating the levels of furan served in common handling scenarios of coffee in Korea: canned coffee, instant coffee, and brewed coffee. Findings of this study can practically guide industry, government, and consumer agencies to reduce the risk exposure to furan during coffee consumptions.
Background:
γ-Poly-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) is a naturally occurring homo-polyamide produced by various strains
of Bacillus. It is made from repeating units of L-glutamic acid, D-glutamic acid, or both connected through amide linkages
between α-amino and γ-carboxylic acid groups. As a biopolymer substance, the attractive properties of γ-PGA are that it is
water-soluble, biodegradable, biocompatible, non-toxic, non-immunogenic, and edible. Therefore, it can be used as a green
and environmentally friendly biological material.
Methods:
The review concentrates on the reports revealing the functions and potential use of γ-PGA and its derivatives in
medicine.
Results & Discussion:
γ-PGA is described to possess several properties which may be exploited in medicine. The biopolymer
reportedly has been successfully applied not only as metal chelator, drug carrier/deliverer, and gene vector, but also
used safely as vaccine adjuvant, tissue engineering material, and contrast agent.
Conclusion:
γ-PGA could be potentially considered as a potential biomedical material in the field of medicine.
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