Paola TESTORI COGGI

1
European Commission
Toxicology Forum Acrylamide 10th November 2005

• Paola TESTORI COGGI
• DIRECTOR- FOOD SAFETY
• DIRECTORATE GENERAL HEALTH AND CONSUMER PROTECTION

2
THE ACRYLAMIDE ISSUE IN 2002

• In Sweden, highlighted in carbohydrate-rich foods
  cooked or processed at high temperatures e.g.
  potato and cereal products
• Toxic properties industrial use, environmental/
  occupational exposure
• Needed investigations into presence in food and
  risk

3
What Risk?

• Scientific Committee on Food, July 2002
• genotoxic carcinogenic
• more data needed(reducing levels, formation,
  exposure, bioavailability, mode of carcinogenic
  action, intake/ toxicity, biomarkers,
  epidemiology)
• clarify safety implications in food
• reduce levels to as low as reasonably
  achievable, but how?

4
Commission Stakeholder Meetings

• October 2002, October 2003, January 2005
• Food producers, processors, caterers, retailers,
  consumers, Member States, EFSA
• EU co-ordination
• Collaboration between Commission, EFSA, JRC,
  Industry (e.g. CIAA), consumers (BEUC) WHO
  Infonet/ US JIFSAN
• EFSA research gaps i.e. formation of
  acrylamideJRC analytical methods dataHEATOX
  project (Health risks from heat-treated foods
  and food products) wide-reaching, 23 partners,
  2003-2006
• Guidance on ways to lower levels in food Note
  resulting from an expert workshop organized by
  the Commission

5
Summary of EU Research Activities(Information
Base, updated by EFSA)

• Website Feb 2003 10 study areas, 98 studies
• Most recent update April 2005 179 studies
• 1) Levels in food 34
• 2) Dietary exposure 19
• 3) Ways to reduce levels 40
• 4) Mechanisms of formation 14
• 5) Bioavailability 4
• 6) Toxicology/ carcinogenicity 12
• 7) Biomarkers 4
• 8) Epidemiology 3
• 9) Methods of analysis 27
• 10) International 22
• http//europa.eu.int/comm/food/food/chemicalsafet
  y/contaminants/acryl_database_en.htm

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LATEST RISK ASSESSMENT

• Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives
  (JECFA), February 2005
• concerns further highlighted, margins of
  exposure,risk of neurotoxicity and
  carcinogenicity for high consumers,reduce
  acrylamide in food
• more data needed (carcinogenicity and long-term
  neurotoxicity how do human biomarker data relate
  to dietary exposure and animal data?)
• European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), April 2005
• endorsed JECFA, majority of data from EU

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RISK MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

• Reduce amounts in food
• Maximum levels? Target levels?
• Guidance?
• Codes of Practice?
• Communication/ education/ consumption advice?

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THE ACRYLAMIDE ISSUE IN 2005

• Formed in carbohydrate-rich foods due to chemical
  reactions during heat processing/ cooking at high
  temperatures and low moisture
• Unavoidable to an extent, but high levels can be
  lowered
• Formal action on high levels?Caution - complex
  product ranges, seasonal variation affects levels
  of sugars, some ways to lower levels might create
  other issues (e.g. more fat uptake at lower
  temperatures, more sodium if sodium bicarbonate
  used to replace other raising agents)
• Collaboration, guidance and education

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How to lower levels of acrylamide?

• Less interaction of sugars (e.g. glucose,
  fructose) asparagine
• Optimise processing/ cooking/ baking temperatures
• Avoid excess browning
• Moisture blanching/ soaking before frying or
  baking
• Low pH (souring?)
• Avoid storing potatoes lt 8C (anti-sprouting
  considerations?)
• Raw material selection (cereals low in
  asparagine? potatoes low in sugar?)
• Label for home cooking e.g. varieties for frying/
  roasting, cooking instructions
• Enzymes (asparaginase) or amino acids (glycine?)
• Raising agents (alternatives to ammonium
  bicarbonate)
• Lightly toast, check levels in rework/ crumbs
• Coffee roasting procedures? Shelf-life?

10
CIAA Toolbox

• Developed by CIAA in consultation with Commission
  and Member States
• A guidance document responding to stakeholder
  meetings and technical findings. Incorporates
  ways shown to lower levels
• By stageAgronomic, Recipe, Process, Final
  preparation
• Whether demonstrated atLaboratory scale, Pilot
  scale, Industrial scale
• By product sector (potato, cereal, coffee
  mixtures)
• Published by CIAA 23 September 2005, for
  distribution throughout food industry sectors, to
  authorities and other stakeholders
• Good example of partnership with industry

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WHAT NEXT?

• Maintain EU collaboration
• Pursue scientific investigations EU wide-scale
  research project under the 6th Framework Program
• Continue to raise awareness on ways to lower
  levels of acrylamide in food producers,
  processors, caterers, retailers
• Industry use the Toolbox/ guidance
• Reduce levels where feasible
• Authorities follow-up nationally
• Code of Practice? EU/ Codex
• Advice for consumers in all Member States?
• Develop holistic approach on negative/ positive
  chemical effects of high temperatures on food

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INFORMATION

• Website
• http//europa.eu.int/comm/food/food/chemicalsafety
  /contaminants/acrylamide_en.htm
• Publication
• Slayne M A Lineback D R (2005)Acrylamide
  Considerations for Risk Management Journal of
  AOAC International, 88(1), 227-233.