2018 - March 12 SPSFAM Meeting Book

Furan in foods

• Furan is present in a variety of cooked  and/or heat processed foods, including  canned and jarred foods (soups, sauces,  gravies, pasta) as well as baby food in jars,  baked bread, breakfast cereals and coffee.  • First detected in the 1960s, furan is part of  the human diet as it can be formed through  traditional cooking methods. 

Health concern Furan and methylated analogs • Rodent studies indicate that furan is a potent liver  toxin and carcinogen, which is possibly carcinogenic  to humans (IARC Group 2B). • Genotoxicity cannot currently be excluded with  certainty, and no safe level of exposure determined. • Similar concerns raised for some alkylated furans: 2‐ and 3‐methylfuran, 2,5‐dimethylfuran, and 2‐ pentylfuran. • According to EFSA (2017): furan and methylated  analogues share similar liver toxicities with similar  potencies and should be grouped together  human health concern due to low MoE.