Irradiation Stability of Folic Acid in Powder and Aqueous Solution

• DOI: 10.1021/jf103977q
• Publication Date: 2011-01-28T15:59:36Z
• Authors: Michel M. Araújo; Eric Marchioni; Martine Bergaentzle; Minjie Zhao; Florent Kuntz; Emeline Hahn; Anna Lucia C. H. ...
• Keywords: Solutions; 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; Folic Acid; Drug Stability; Flour; Food Irradiation; Food, Fortified; Water; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration

This study attempts to examine the folic acid stability after irradiation treatment, under different physical states, pH values, and atmosphere conditions. Aqueous folic acid samples, folic acid in powder, and wheat flour fortified with folic acid were irradiated by an electron beam (E-beam) between 0 (control) and 10.0 kGy. It was realized that the physical state of folic acid plays an important role on its stability toward E-beam processing, being largely unstable in solution, no matter the pH and atmosphere conditions assayed. Otherwise, folic acid in powder showed huge irradiation stability, even when mixed in a dry food matrix, such as fortified wheat flour samples.