Interference from alpha-amino acid and protein on determination of formaldehyde in food

The disturbance of alpha-amino acids and proteins on the analysis of formaldehyde content in food was investigated by electrochemical assay. Results show that the pH decreases gradually from 9.91 to 4.36 with increasing aspartic acid concentration. The recovery rate changes from 8% to 100% after different amounts of formaldehyde were added into protein solutions. For edible bamboo shoots, the recovery rate of formaldehyde is 80% to 100%. For shrimp kernel, however, the recovery rate of formaldehyde is 8% to 60%. These results indicate that the consumed quantity of formaldehyde is correlative with the protein concentration in foods. Therefore, the determinate formaldehyde content in food is actually not the totally applied amount, but just the residue after its reaction with the alpha-amino acids or free amino groups on the protein surface.