The aims of this study were to prepare a thermosensitive composite hydrogel (TCH) by mixing 24% (w/v) poloxamer 407 (P407), 16% (w/v) poloxamer 188 (P188) and 0.1% (w/v) carbopol 940 (C940), and to determine the effect of natural borneol/ (2-hydroxypropyl)-β-cyclodextrin (NB/HP-β-CD) inclusion complex on the phase transition temperature, mechanical, rheological properties, and release behaviors of the TCH using the tube inversion method, a texture analyzer, a rheometer, and in vitro release , respectively. The results showed that as the concentration of NB/HP-β-CD increased, the phase transition temperature of the TCH was increased from 37.26 to 38.34 °C and the mechanical properties of the TCH showed that the hardness, cohesiveness, strength, and adhesiveness were increased from 0.025 to 0.064 kg, 0.022 to 0.064 kg, 0.110 to 0.307 kg and 0.036 to 0.105 kg, respectively, but the rheological properties of the TCH showed that G′, G′′ and η were decreased from 7,760 to 157.50 Pa, 1,274 to 36.28 Pa and 1,252 to 25.37 Pas, respectively. The in vitro release showed that an increasing NB/HP-β-CD concentration decreased the release rate of NB from the TCH, but the amount of NB released was more than 96% at 60 min, which showed the TCH had good release behavior.

Furan (C₄H₄O) is a volatile, heterocyclic and carcinogenic heterocyclic chemical compound occurring in a wide range of thermally processed foods. Several studies have been conducted to analyze the formation conditions, triggering furan formation via model systems. Furan can be encountered via various pathways including thermal degradation, oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, thermal rearrangement of carbohydrates in the presence of amino acids, thermal degradation of certain amino acids. Furan has been proven to cause cancer in experimental animal models and classified as a possible human carcinogen by International agency for research on cancer based on sufficient evidences. Thus, different strategies should be developed to reduce furan contents in commercially available food stuffs while food processing. This review summarizes some current evidences of furan formation from different precursors, analytical methods for its detection, and its toxicity that might lead to carcinogenicity and genotoxicity with human risk assessment. In addition, furan occurrence in different thermally processed foods entailed by several recent studies as well as furan mitigation strategies during food processing have also been illustrated in this review.