The EU has introduced new regulations aimed at reducing consumer exposure to potentially harmful acrylamide in food products.
Acrylamide is a chemical substance that naturally forms when frying, roasting or baking certain carbohydrate-rich foodstuffs at temperatures above 120°C. Food products which have been found to contain acrylamide include French fries, potato crisps, crackers, breads, biscuits, cookies, rusks, cereal bars, scones, cornets, wafers, crumpets, gingerbread, breakfast cereals (excluding porridge), coffee and coffee substitutes.
The main health concern relates to acrylamide’s carcinogenic and genotoxic (DNA-damaging) potential. In an assessment carried out by the European Food Safety Authority in 2015, it concluded that current acrylamide levels which all age groups in the population are exposed to in their diet, do pose a concern with respect to carcinogenic effects.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) states that research shows that more acrylamide is formed at higher temperatures and longer cooking times. Therefore, caterers should avoid over cooking fried, baked or grilled potato and cereal products. Consumers should also avoid eating partially burned food.
These new regulations provide practical measures to reduce the incidence of acrylamide, as well as benchmark levels for food products so food businesses can assess the effectiveness of their actions. The mitigation measures, which take account of the different nature of food businesses, will apply from 11th April 2018 or depending on the nature of their operation, food businesses will have to apply the required measures from 11th April 2018.
For more information, visit https://www.fsai.ie/faq/acrylamide.html.
