Controls on chemicals in food

Acrylamide is a natural by-product that forms when carbohydrate-rich foods are fried, baked, grilled, toasted or roasted at temperatures above 120°C. This includes foods such as:

• potatoes, chips and crisps
• cereals
• bread, biscuits and other bakery products

Since these foods have been cooked at high temperatures for hundreds of years, it is likely that acrylamide has been present in our food for many generations.

The formation of acrylamide in food is a product of the Maillard reaction - the browning of food when cooking caused by a reaction of natural sugars. It is thought to form from two chemicals that occur naturally in the food - an amino acid called asparagine and certain types of sugar.

Acrylamide is not found in food that has not been heated, or that has been cooked using methods such as boiling or microwaving.

Where is acrylamide found?

As well as in potatoes, cereals and bakery products, acrylamide is also found in:

• tobacco
• coffee
• raw, dried or pickled food - such as olives, prunes and dried pears

Acrylamide and potential health risks

Acrylamide has been found to cause nerve damage in people who have been accidentally exposed to it whilst at work (it is used as an industrial chemical in strengthening paper and in the clarification of water).

Acrylamide is also considered to be a carcinogen. Laboratory tests show that, when consumed, it causes cancer in animals. Scientists believe that acrylamide in food has the potential to cause cancer in humans as well.

There are currently no regulatory limits set for acrylamide in food. However, there is a limit for the amount of acrylamide allowed to migrate from food contact plastic into food. The limit means that acrylamide should not be detectable at 0.01 milligrams per kilogram of food.

Reducing acrylamide in food

The Food Standards Agency recommends that the amount of acrylamide we consume is reduced, as a precaution. Current advice for reducing acrylamide includes:

• choosing specific varieties of raw materials - such as potatoes with a lower level of sugars
• adding asparaginase - an enzyme which reduces the production of acrylamide
• lowering the cooking temperature and reducing cooking time to reduce browning

Read guidance from the Food Standards Agency on managing the risks of acrylamide in food.

FoodDrinkEurope has produced the acrylamide toolbox with detailed guidance on how to reduce acrylamide in the processing of different types of foods. The toolbox outlines potential intervention steps to prevent and reduce the formation of acrylamide in specific manufacturing processes and products.