10 Jun 2010 --- DSM Food Specialties has won the 2010 Frost & Sullivan award for Product Differentiation Excellence with its unique solution for acrylamide mitigation – PreventASe. An enzyme preparation, PreventASe is recognized the best-in-class to mitigate the formation of acrylamide in bread, biscuits and extruded snacks by as much as 90%. DSM Food Specialties differentiated its product through the quality, the complexity and the customized range of PreventASe, matching the market needs. This award recognises the proven functionality of PreventASe and underlines DSM Food Specialties’ position as a leading innovator of enzymes to the food industry.

Over the last years, acrylamide has become a serious issue for food processors worldwide. In spring this year JECFA reconfirmed that the MOEs (margins of exposure) of acrylamide intake indicate a human health concern– which is echoed by the US FDA’s assessment of acrylamide as a suspected toxic substance. PreventASe (asparaginase) is an internationally recognised solution to mitigate acrylamide levels and has obtained wide regulatory approval for use across the globe. The recently published EFSA report on the monitoring of acrylamide levels in EU Member States draws on CIAA’s efforts and confirms that asparaginase is very promising as a mitigation tool for potato and cereal products.

Mario Pires, Business Industry Director Baking and Beverages Ingredients, DSM Food Specialties, commented: “This award acknowledges our understanding and commitment to the needs of the global food industry. The harmful potential of acrylamide is now widely acknowledged and finding an effective solution is crucial for food manufacturers. PreventASe is our response to this issue. We are working in partnership with food manufacturers worldwide to minimise consumers’ exposure to dietary acrylamide. With the PreventASe portfolio already extended to include solutions for most bakery applications, we are continuing to research further possibilities for a wider product range.”

The Frost & Sullivan Award for Product Differentiation Excellence, Enzyme Solutions for Acrylamide Reduction is based on Best Practices research to determine how best-in-class companies worldwide manage growth, innovation and leadership. DSM Food Specialties leads the way in the market by proactively developing new applications for PreventASe and customising it to match the needs of different markets.

PreventASe is proven to be able to mitigate the formation of acrylamide in certain foods by as much as 90%. The PreventASe enzyme is a so-called “asparaginase enzyme preparation” from the Aspergillus niger micro-organism (A. niger). The enzyme basically converts one of the precursors of acrylamide, asparagine, into another naturally occurring amino acid, aspartate. As a result, asparagine is not available anymore for the chemical reaction that forms acrylamide when carbohydrate-containing foods, such as bread, biscuits, crackers, processed potato products and cereals, are being heated. Various authorities require the mitigation of its presence in food. Applying asparaginase in food in order to reduce acrylamide has been identified as one of the solutions by both industry associations and governmental institutions.