Abstract
Formaldehyde was induced from a certain precursor by acid-hydrolysis or by thermal degradation during the official steam distillation. In order to determine an accurate amount of formaldehyde spontaneously involved in the foodstuffs, the authors have also investigated on optimal conditions for the acetylacetone reaction. Thus, they found that only 3, 5-diacetyl-1, 4-dihydrolutidine was almost completely extracted with n-butanol or isoamylalcohol and that other yellow pigments in the tissues were not transferred into the organic solvent layer. The formaldehyde content in fresh vegetables, mushrooms and their dehydrated products was estimated according to the acetylacetone method via extraction with n-butanol.
