Acrylamide is a chemical that forms in some foods when they are cooked at high temperatures, such as frying, roasting or baking. It has been found to be potentially harmful to human health. Initiatives have been taken by food industries and regulatory bodies to reduce acrylamide levels in foods through best practices in farming, storage, processing and cooking. These include selecting potato varieties with low sugar levels, controlling cooking temperatures and times, and providing guidance to consumers on recommended cooking methods. Ongoing research continues to aim to further lower acrylamide content in foods.

1. Acrylamide
Thermally induced harmful
chemical
Advanced Food Chemistry
Food Engineering Master Program
İstanbul Aydın Üniversitesi

2. Background
- 1950 industrial chemical used for water treatment, paper
industry, glues, flocculants, synthetis of dyes
- 2002 discovered in Sweden in starchy foods (production
Temperature dependent) so not found in boiled or not
heated food
- 2009 Health Canada assesses whether acrylamide is a
hazard to human health and whether any regulatory action
needs to be taken.
- 2010 EChA added acrylamide to the list of substances of
very high concern

3. Drops of chemistry
Synthesized for the first IUPAC Prop-2-enamide
time in 1949
Raw formula C3H5NO3
Unsaturated and highly
Melting point 84.5 °C
reactive amide
Boiling point 136°C
White odorless crystalline
solid EU classification:
Soluble in water, ethanol, Toxic (T)
ether and chloroform Carc. Cat. 2
Muta. Cat. 2

4. ROUTES OF EXPOSURE: The substance can be absorbed into
EXPOSURE
the body by inhalation, through the skin and by ingestion.
INHALATION RISK: Evaporation at 20°C is negligible; a harmful
RISK
concentration of airborne particles can, however, be
reached quickly.
EFFECTS OF SHORT-TERM EXPOSURE: irritating the eyes, the
EXPOSURE
skin and the respiratory tract. The substance may cause
effects on the central nervous system.
EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM OR REPEATED EXPOSURE: effects on
EXPOSURE
the nervous system, resulting in peripheral nerve damage.
This substance is probably carcinogenic to humans. May
cause heritable genetic damage in humans.

5. Formation in food
Reaction bw reducing sugars and
Asparagine in the context of
the Maillard Reaction
(browning).
Thermal input (temperature &
heating time) frying, roasting
or baking generally at + 120°C
Top Eight Food: french fries (oil
Food
fried and oven baked),
breakfast cereals, potato
chips, cookies, coffee, toasted
bread, pies and cakes

6. Acrylamide is a result of the Maillard reaction
A reaction occurs between the carbohydrates
(sugar) and proteins and is responsible for
changes in color, flavor and nutritive in food.
It has been confirmed that asparagine is the
main amino acid responsible for its formation.
Available evidence suggests that sugars and
other carbonyl compounds play a specific role
in the decarboxylation process of asparagine

7. Why being worried?
Neurotoxicity in humans is well known from occupational
and accidental exposures
Experimental studies in animals have shown reproductive,
genotoxic and carcinogenic properties
IARC classified chemical as “probably carcinogenic to
humans (Group 2A)”
Relative levels of acrylamide in the diet are higher than
many other known carcinogens
Regarded as a genotoxic carcinogen - a safe level of
exposure cannot be established

8. Process contaminant

9. Acrylamide in food?
Its presence in food was unknown prior to the Swedish
report in 2002.
Found “by chance” when blood samples of exposed
workers (miners) and an unexposed control group
were compared and high levels of acrylamide were
found in both groups.

10. Effects of Acrylamide on people
Acrylamide is considered to be a mutagen and possibly a
carcinogen in humans.
Case studies provided by National Cancer Institute some of
the cancers that are believed to be related to acrylamide
are: oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, larynx, kidney,
breast, ovary.
Neurological damage has been associated to exposure of
high levels of acrylamide in water treatment plants. There
have been cases of human poisoning due to
contaminated water in proximity to ground injection sites
where acrylamide is disposed of.

11. What has been done?
Risks to consumers have been discussed by many
international bodies (e.g. EFSA, FAO, WHO), EU
committees and national authorities
Initiatives to reduce/prevent acrylamide formation
CIAA Toolbox*
EU Acrylamide Workshops & Stakeholder meetings
EU Initiatives
EU Monitoring Recommendation
EU Indicative Values
EU Checklist

12. Eu monitoring programme
Monitoring of food groups known to be major contributors
Principal aim is to investigate if mitigation strategies
(i.e. Toolbox*) are used and/or effective
Toolbox*
Produce taken from same source over period of 3 years
(last one was 2007 – 2009)
Data from Member States analysed by EFSA
Results did not show clear trends
Programme extended (open-ended)
Accompanied by a checklist to collect further information
Information used to establish indicative values

13. Source: Food Drink Europe - Acrylamide Toolbox 2011

14. The main food categories in the Toolbox:
Potato-based products
French fries p
Cereal-based products
C Bread bCrisp bread
Coffee, roasted grain and chicory
Roast and ground coffee d Instant (soluble) coffee
Baby/infant foods
Baby biscuitso Infant cereals a Baby foods other than cereal-based foods

15. From Farm to fork :
Potato Based Products
Case study

16. Farming
F Selection of potato varieties with low reducing sugars
that are suitable for the product type.
t Minimising the risk of high reducing sugars by
growing those low sugar varieties
g Ensuring tubers are mature at time of harvesting
(immature tubers tend to have higher reducing sugar
levels).

17. Storage
S Controlling storage conditions from farm to factory
(e.g. temp. >6°C identified as good practice for long
term storage
t Storing crops within the recommended window for
the specific variety

18. Manufacturing
MCalcium salts (e.g. Ca-lactate), when used at <0.3% in
the dough, can be an effective reduction tool. The
percentage decrease is highly dependent on the AA
starting level of the product this tool is applied to.
s In potato-based pellet snacks ~1% addition of calcium
chloride has given a ~20-80% reduction dependent on
the product design. Too high levels of calcium salts can,
however, generate off-flavours.
h Treatment of potato flakes with calcium salts during
their production have demonstrated 30-40% reduction
dependent on the product design and formulation. Too
high levels can, however, generate undesirable product
attributes.

19. Processing
P Asparaginase may reduce AA in reconstituted
doughbased products but off flavours can be created in
some recipes
s Thermal input controls Acrylamide formation in the
finished product
f Controlling moisture helps to manage cooking control
C Blanching is a very effective tool to impact AA levels in
French fries

20. Cont'd
Disodium diphosphate after blanching reduces AA
content by reducing pH
cVacuum frying offers an alternate thermal input
control system, however this technology is not
widely available
wFor manufacturers that use high temperature flash
frying, rapid cooling helps to reduce AA formation
f In-line optical sorting can be an effective measure to
remove dark products

21. Final Preparation:
Consumer Guidance
C Follow exactly the product specific cooking
instructions on the packaging.
i Cook at maximum 175°C, do not overcook
C Cook to a golden yellow colour
C When cooking small amounts, reduce the
cooking time

23. Indicative values in foodstuff

24. Future issues
Breeding new potato varieties with lower reducing sugar content and/or
less cold sweetening effect.
Further optimise agricultural practices to minimise reducing sugars and
Asn. The nitrogen fertiliser regime appears to influence the reducing
sugar concentration of the potato tuber, i.e. increased reducing
sugars (60–100%) upon lowering the field N-fertilisation.
At the likely levels of acrylamide intake from the diet, the key effects of
concern are genotoxicity and possible carcinogenic effects
Appropriate efforts to reduce acrylamide concentrations in food should
continue
Keep identifying how to optimise processing, preparation and cooking
regimes to reduce levels of acrylamide in food

25. References
CONFEDERATION OF THE FOOD AND DRINK INDUSTRIES OF THE EU. Food drink europe acrylamide
toolbox 2011 (2011).
EUROPEAN FOOD SAFETY AUTHORITY, Results on acrylamide levels in food from monitoring years
2007-2009 and exposure assessment. efsa (2011).
EC (European Commission), Recommendation of 11 January 2011 on investigations into the levels of
acrylamide in food (2011).
FAO/WHO (Food and Agricultural Organisation/World Health Organization). Summary and conclusions
report of the seventy-second meeting of the JECFA (2010)
World Health Organization, Principles and methods for the risk assessment of chemicals in food.
Environmental Health (2010)
FAO/WHO. International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS). (2011).
SPIVEY, A. A matter of degrees: advancing our understanding of acrylamide. Environmental Health
Perspectives (2010).

26. Thank you for your time!