Acrolein

Question 1

What is acrolein?

Answer 1

• Small simple molecule

- Should be avoided

Question 2

Structure of acrolein?

Answer 2

• Chain of 3 atoms
• 1 H and 1 O attached
• Low molecular weight
• Polar (moderately)
• Fat and water soluble
• 2 functional groups
• One is a double bond that is reactive
• The second is the aldehyde group which is reactive and makes it polar

Question 3

Real name for acrolein?

Answer 3

2-propenal

• Prop means there is 3 carbon
• en means double bond
• al is aldehyde

Question 4

Form of acrolein at room temp?

Answer 4

Liquid because it is relatively small and highly polar

Question 5

Acrolein and vaporization?

Answer 5

• Vaporized at low temp

Question 6

Acrolein odor and irritant?

Answer 6

• Has strong pungent odor and because of its chemical reactivity it is a irritant of eyes, skin and mucous membrane

Question 7

Where is acrolein found?

Answer 7

• It is manufactured and utilized on a commercial scale for plastics production and herbicide.
• Once used a chemical weapon
• Cigarette smoke
• When oils are heated

Question 8

Heating oils?

Answer 8

• Most fats and oils are hydrophobic so very hydrophibic and little water present
• As the temp of oils rises any water present will vaporise and cause bubbling at 100degree and oil temp will continue to rise
• When it gets two hot it can combust or deteriorate

Question 9

Heated oils and decomposition

Answer 9

Another observation is that oils become unstable and
decomposition will occur before any boiling of the oil
can take place. This problem becomes worse when oil
is used repeatedly, with the oil deteriorating, and also
becoming contaminated with particles of food. This
explains why it is strongly recommended that oil in
deep fryers should be changed regularly.

Question 10

Smoke point of oils?

Answer 10

• This is the temperature at which the oil starts to emit smoke [3]. Each type of oil has its own characteristic value
  and some are quite low (around 160C) ranging up to
  temperatures as high as 240C
• Smoke point can be increased with refined oils
• The more a oil is used the smoke point will decrease

Question 11

Acrolein produced in cooking?

Answer 11

• People oil its cooked under very high temps acrolein can be formed
• Can be seen by the blue colour and pungent smell
• Possible carcinogen
• As well as being unpleasant and a likely carcinogen,
  acrolein is also highly flammable as indicated by the
  extremely flash point (Table 1). The flash point is the
  temperature at which a material starts to be sufficiently
  volatile so that there is a flammable mix with air. So we
  need to take appropriate precautions to avoid
  overheating when heating oils.