Date of Publication

7-2025

Document Type

Bachelor's Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Biology

Subject Categories

Medicine and Health Sciences

College

College of Science

Department/Unit

Biology

Thesis Advisor

Zeba F. Alam

Defense Panel Chair

Rosita Roldan Gan

Defense Panel Member

Eligio Santiago V. Maghirang
Marigold O. Uba

Abstract (English)

In 2002, the industrial chemical Acrylamide was recognized as a food contaminant, naturally occurring in high temperature cooking and carbohydrate-rich foods. Acrylamide has been categorized as a probable human carcinogenic compound resulting in mitigating activities by various countries and international groups, in the Philippines, this remains to be addressed. This study assessed exposure to acrylamide, a heat-induced food contaminant and a probable carcinogen, in Filipino adults using a 24-hour dietary recall (n=100) and a food frequency consumption (FFC) survey (n=500). Non-parametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis and Mood’s median test) were applied to compare acrylamide intakes across demographic groups (by sex, age category) and smoking status. The health risk assessment was done using Margin of Exposure (MOE) for carcinogenic and neurotoxic effects and Hazard Quotient (HQ) for general non-carcinogenic toxicity by determining the Estimated dietary intake (EDI) of acrylamide across various demographic groups. The mean EDI of acrylamide ranged from 0.215 to 0.837 µg/kg body weight per day, aligning with international averages of ~0.3–0.8 µg/kg bw/day. Across all groups, MOEs for carcinogenic risk were consistently well below the benchmark of 10,000, indicating a potential public health concern. However, the MOEs for neurotoxicity showed a nuanced pattern with all groups, with the safety threshold for neurotoxic effect MOE≥125 in the 24-hour recall survey, whereas females, non-smokers, and older adults– with MOEs falling below 125-indicated possible neurotoxic risks as revealed by the larger FFC survey. HQ values for non-carcinogenic systemic effects (using a reference dose of 0.002 mg/kg-day) remained < 1.0 for all groups, suggesting no immediate systemic toxicity. Adults aged 35–44 years emerged as a particularly vulnerable group, showing the highest acrylamide intake and lowest MOEs for both cancer and neurotoxicity endpoints. Females had slightly greater acrylamide exposure per kg bw than males, reflected in lower MOEs (carcinogenic) and higher HQs. Interestingly, smokers did not show higher dietary acrylamide intake than non-smokers in our analysis, which warrants further investigation with a much larger sample population. These findings raise concerns that dietary acrylamide poses a long-term carcinogenic risk in this population, while neurotoxic effects cannot be ruled out for certain demographics. This is the first ever study on the risk assessment of acrylamide exposure in the Filipino population, and the baseline data can be used to further evaluate the current public health guidelines, mitigation strategies, and industry adoption of acrylamide-reducing practices to reduce acrylamide-related health risks in the Philippines.

Abstract Format

html

Abstract (Filipino)

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Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Electronic

Keywords

Acrylamide--Philippines; Food contamination

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Embargo Period

8-4-2026

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Available for download on Tuesday, August 04, 2026

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