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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Little Rock, Arkansas » Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #195510
Title: IDENTIFICATION AND URINARY EXCRETION OF METABOLITES OF 5-(HYDROXYMETHYL)-2-FURFURAL (HMF) IN HUMAN SUBJECTS FOLLOWING CONSUMPTION OF DRIED PLUMS OR DRIED PLUM JUICE

Author
item Prior, Ronald
item GU, LIWEI - ACNC/UAMS
item WU, XIANLI - ACNC/UAMS

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/23/2006
Publication Date: 4/18/2006
Citation: Prior, R.L., Gu, L., Wu, X. 2006. Identification and urinary excretion of metabolites of 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furfural (HMF) in human subjects following consumption of dried plums or dried plum juice. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 54(10):3744-3749.

Interpretive Summary: Dried plums and dried plum juice (DPJ) have considerable amounts of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). HMF is a major breakdown product occurring in solutions high in sugars. Most of the formation of HMF occurs during heating or autoclaving but spontaneous breakdown also takes place. HMF also is present in a) many fruit juices, b) heat-sterilized infant formulas and c) baby cereals. The objective of this study was to characterize and identify HMF metabolites in human subjects following the consumption of dried plum juice (DPJ) and/or dried plums. Four metabolites of HMF were identified in the urine of subjects that consumed DPJ. Two new metabolites were identified for the first time in humans in this study which have not been reported in previous studies in rodents. This study represents the first data that has been obtained in humans relative to HMF metabolism.

Technical Abstract: 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-Furfural (HMF) is a major breakdown product occurring in solutions with high concentrations of fructose and glucose and is present in many fruit juices, in heat-sterilized parental solutions, and in baby cereals. The objective of this study was to characterize and identify for the first time HMF metabolites in human subjects following the consumption of dried plum juice (DPJ) and/or dried plums. Subjects were fasted overnight, and blood and urine samples were obtained during the day following consumption of 1) Control, 315 mL water; 2) 315 mL of DPJ; or 3) dried plums (131 g blended in 315 mL water). There was at least a two-week period between each treatment, and the treatment order for each subject was randomized. Subjects fed the PJ and dried plums consumed 3944 'mol (497 mg) and 531 'mol (67 mg) of HMF, respectively. Four presumed metabolites of HMF were detected in the urine of subjects that consumed DPJ. They were tentatively identified using HPLC-MS/MS as: 1) N-(5-Hydroxymethyl-2-furoyl)glycine (HMFG); 2) 5-Hydroxymethyl-2-furoic acid (HMFA); 3) (5-carboxylic acid-2-furoyl)glycine (CFG); and 4) (5-carboxylic acid-2-furoyl)aminomethane (CFA). Total urinary excretion during the 6 hours following the consumption of dried plum juice was 168, 1465, 137 and 75 'moles based upon HMFA as a standard for CFG, HMFA, HMFG and CFA, respectively. The estimated total recovery of HMF metabolites was 46.2% and 14.2% of the HMF dose during the first 6 h after consumption of DPJ and dried plums. HMF seems to be metabolized rapidly to glycine conjugates and other metabolites and excreted in the urine.