Acrylamide and food

Several newspaper articles have reported the recent announcement on 24 April 2002 by the Swedish National Food Authority (NFA) that acrylamide, a known carcinogen in animal tests, has been found in elevated levels in starch-containing foods cooked at high temperatures, such as fried or roasted potato products and bread.

In announcing the discovery of high levels of acrylamide in food, the Swedish NFA said that: ' Present knowledge does not allow for a balanced analysis of risks and benefits of staple foods containing acrylamide. More knowledge is needed before the dietary advice issued by the NFA can be changed'.

Previous concerns about acrylamide were a result of known human exposure in drinking water and in certain occupations. The Swedish announcement was the first report of the presence of elevated levels of acrylamide in food.

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) commissioned urgent research in response. The findings, limited to potatoes, chips and breakfast cereals, confirmed the Swedish results, which suggested that baking or frying the food may be to blame.

Despite the finding of their own studies, neither the agency is recommending that people change their diet. Nor are they advising people to stop consuming any of the foods tested or to change cooking methods.

The UK FSA has said that at this stage it is too early to identify either the effects of acrylamide in food on people or even how it is formed in processes such as baking, frying, grilling or roasting. Representatives of FSA have stated ' it is likely that any risks from acrylamide are not new and we have probably been exposed to them in food for generations '.

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on 26 April 2002 that it will organise an expert consultation as soon as possible to determine the full extent of the public health risk from acrylamide in food.

WHO officials have stressed that, although many pieces of information about acrylamide and its effects in animals do exist, a full picture of the levels in food and effects on humans does not, and therefore WHO will be looking to fill in relevant gaps in knowledge. None of the results announced by Sweden or the UK cause WHO to change its basic dietary advice.

The Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) is taking the results of the Swedish and British studies very seriously and is keeping a watching brief on the international developments on this issue. The Authority is currently deciding whether to send one of its scientists to take part in the WHO informal expert consultation planned to take place before the end of June 2002.

May 2002