Acrylamide – EFSA Launches Call for Recent Analytical Data

26 Apr 2013 --- EFSA would like food business operators and other stakeholders to submit analytical data on acrylamide occurrence levels in foods and beverages and collected outside official controls from 2010 onwards (deadline: 30 June 2013).

This information will support development of EFSA’s future work on this process contaminant. Acrylamide is a carcinogenic substance that forms in starchy foods during heat treatment, e.g. roasting, baking and frying.

Call for acrylamide occurrence data in food and beverages intended for human consumption collected outside official controls

Acrylamide is a carcinogenic substance that is formed in foods that have undergone heat treatment, e.g. roasting, baking and frying, and that are high in certain amino acids and reducing sugars.
 
Industry (Food and Drink Europe) have developed a “toolbox” containing measures that can be applied by the different sectors of food industry to reduce acrylamide levels. Sector specific brochures have also been developed.
 
The European Commission is monitoring acrylamide levels in food via specific monitoring recommendations. The results of the monitoring are compiled by EFSA. The second Commission recommendation adopted in January 2011 asks Member States to carry out further investigations at food operators’ premises in case high acrylamide levels are found. Indicative values have been established in that recommendation. The indicative values are not legal limits and do not require enforcement action if they are exceeded.
 
Since the statement of the Scientific Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain to a summary report on acrylamide in food of the 64th meeting of the joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (adopted on 19 April 2005) and the EFSA Scientific Colloquium on acrylamide carcinogenity, new scientific information has become available.
 
In order to assess the need for further measures as regards acrylamide in food, EFSA is requested by the European Commission to assess the risks related to the presence of acrylamide in food (Mandate  M-2013-0002) and within this context is launching this specific call for data.
 
Submission of  occurrence data (analytical results) on  acrylamide in foods and beverages intended for human consumption collected outside official controls
 
Food business operators and other stakeholders are invited to submit analytical data on acrylamide occurrence levels in foods and beverages intended for human consumption as listed in Table 1 and collected from 2010 to date. Official monitoring data collected by the Member States will be submitted in the framework of the EFSA continuous call for data.

The analytical method used for the quantitative determination of acrylamide should have been validated. In accordance with Commission Recommendation 2010/307/EU, the method should achieve a LOQ of 30 µg/kg for bread and foods for infants and young children and 50 µg/kg for potato products, other cereal products, coffee and other products. Higher LOQs may be accepted only if they are shown to be adapted to the quantification of acrylamide levels in the corresponding food/beverages samples.