Acrylamide (AA) poses a serious food safety hazard because it is genotoxic and carcinogenic. Identified in 2002 as a chemical process contaminant, it is formed in certain categories of foods-from frying, baking and grilling at high temperatures-due to the ‘Maillard reaction’ between reducing sugars and amino acids at temperatures >120 °C.
A recent scientific study-in the analysis of acrylamide on baked goods in Italy-reveals the widespread exceeding of thresholds specified in Regulation (EU) 2017/2158. (1) Consumers of all ages, children and adolescents especially, are therefore exposed to the carcinogenic effects of this contaminant. A warning sign for operators and regulators.
Acrylamide, risk analysis and EC recommendations
The scientific literature is in agreement in assessing the serious risks of carcinogenesis and genetic mutation associated with the consumption of acrylamide-contaminated foods. of increasing attention, by toxicologists and food technologists. The Expert Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) of theEuropean Food Safety Authority (EFSA), in publishing its scientific opinion on the issue, confirmed previous assessments that acrylamide in food increases the potential risk of developing cancer in consumers of all age groups (2,3).
The European Commission, as early as January 2011, established ‘reference thresholds’ for acrylamide in various food categories. These levels – updated several times, in 2014 and 2017 (4) – led the European executive to make recommendations, most recently in 2019 (5):
– to member states, monitor contamination levels in products on their respective territories,
– social stakeholders (processing industry, SMEs and artisan workshops, food service, distribution), adapt good processing practices and HACCP so as to control and mitigate contamination risks. (6)
Risk prevention and management
Baked goods(crackers, rusks, breads, cookies)-as well as fried and grilled goods, depending on the consumption habits of different populations-can be a significant source of AA risk exposure because of the frequency and quantity of their consumption. And yet it is possible to limit acrylamide formation in these foods by acting on factors such as pH, temperature, humidity, cooking time and chemical composition of the food.
Reg. EU 2017/2158 offers guidance on how to control and reduce the risk of acrylamide formation in all critical processing. (7) However, without specifying that ‘tolerance thresholds’ are to be identified as critical thresholds. In cases where they are exceeded, it is therefore incumbent:
– Assess the serious risk to food safety (according to EU Reg. 2017/625, Art. 3.24)
– Take timely corrective action on batches or batches of food at risk (EU Reg. 178/02, Art. 19. EU Reg. 2017/625, Art. 138).
Acrylamide in baked goods in Italy, the study
The study ‘Occurrence of Acrylamide in ItalianBakedProducts and Dietary Exposure Assessment‘ (Esposito et al. 2020) analyzes a range of baked products available on the Italian market to assess the threshold values indicated within the regulation using the Margin of Exp osition (MOE) approach. (1) Laboratory analysis showed acrylamide concentrations ranging from 31 to 454 µg/kg in bread and derivatives and 204-400 µg/l in cakes and cookies.
The researchers also showed an inverse correlation between the level of water in bread doughs, whole-wheat breads and rolls and acrylamide formation. The higher the humidity, the lower the AA. This phenomenon is attributed to the influence of water evaporation on the surface temperature of the food being cooked.
Children and adolescents most exposed, cancer risk for all
Contamination levels in bread and similar products (e.g., friselle, subject to biscuits) were found to be significantly higher than the tolerance thresholds specified in reg. EU 2017/2158. After all, the topicality of the acrylamide risk had already emerged on several industrial foods-including various products intended for early childhood-in analyses conducted by AltroConsumo in 2019. (8)
Higher exposure values were found in children and adolescents, related to their eating habits and especially lower body weight. The margin of exposure related to the carcinogenic effects of AA however reveal ‘a health problem for the population of all age groups considered in this study.’
Chemical safety of food, this unknown
The chemical safety of food is once again confirmed to come underestimated by policy and so by supply chain operators and control authorities. Although they are in many cases genotoxic and/or carcinogenic contaminants (e.g., mycotoxins, some pesticides and other toxic chemicals), or neurotoxic (e.g., neonicotinoids). Or at least, endocrine disruptors (other agrotoxics and substances used in MOCAs, e.g., BPA and phthalates).
To when?
Dario Dongo and Ylenia Desireè Patti Giammello
Notes
(1) Francesco Esposito, Salvatore Velotto, Teresa Rea, Tommaso Stasi. (2020). Occurrence of Acrylamide in Italian Baked Products and Dietary Exposure Assessment. September 2020 Molecules 25(18):4156. doi: 10.3390/molecules25184156
(2) EFSA. Topics, Acrylamide. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/acrylamide. See also booklet in Italian language, at https://www.efsa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/corporate_publications/files/acrylamide150604it.pdf
(3) EFSA Panel of Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM). Scientific Opinion on acrylamide in food. 4.6.15. EFSA Journal, Volume 13, Issue 6. doi: https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4104,
(4) Reg. EU 2017/2158, establishing mitigation measures and reference levels the reduction of acrylamide in food. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/IT/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32017R2158&qid=1606313542828
(5) Dario Dongo. Acrylamide, Commission stalls. Yet another recommendation. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 11/22/19, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/sicurezza/acrilammide-la-commissione-prende-tempo-ennesima-raccomandazione
(6) Dario Dongo, Ylenia Desireè Patti Giammello. Acrylamide in foods, prevention is in the kitchen. GIFT(Great Italian Food Trade). 5/13/19, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/salute/acrilammide-nei-cibi-la-prevenzione-è-in-cucina
(7) Dario Dongo. Acrylamide, ABC new rules. GIFT(Great Italian Food Trade). 1/21/18, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/salute/acrilammide-abc-nuove-regole
(8) Dario Dongo, Ylenia Desireè Patti Giammello. Acrylamide, unresolved dangers. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 4/15/19, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/sicurezza/acrilammide-pericoli-irrisolti
(4) Mesit to 2020
(5) Mencin, M .; Abramovič, H .; Vidrih, R .; Schreiner, M. Acrylamide levels in food products on the Slovenian market. Food Control 2020 , 114 , 107267.
(6) Mojiska et al (2010)
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
Laboratory technician, passionate about the production and distribution of food products, consumer information and culinary art.
