Abstract
Furan is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a Group 2B carcinogen : “possibly carcinogenic to humans". It is present in many processed and cooked foods at low levels, and is determined by the balance of vaporization and generation of furan during heating processes. It is essential to know the range of furan concentrations during the cooking process to accurately estimate furan intake from cooked foods. We examined furan levels in miso soup during the cooking process, which consisted of three steps : heating, maintenance at room temperature or warm in an insulated jar, and reheating. In a common pan with a lid, furan levels in miso soup did not change during the cooking process, but increased in a linear manner in heat-maintaining cookware.
