This document is an excerpt from the EUR-Lex website
Document 32017R2158
Reducing the presence of acrylamide in food
- Date of last review:
- 11/07/2018
- Initial creation date:
- 30/08/2018
- Summary code:
-
- 30.10.07.02 Contaminants
- EUROVOC descriptor:
- Directory code:
- Summarised document(s):
- Author:
- Publications Office of the European Union
- Responsible entity(ies):
- Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
Reducing the presence of acrylamide in food
SUMMARY OF:
WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?
It aims to reduce the level of acrylamide1 in food.
It does so by requiring manufacturers, fast-food chains and restaurants, collectively known as food business operators, to follow certain procedures.
These ‘mitigation measures’ are designed to ensure acrylamide levels for different foods are below the indicative benchmarks set out in the legislation.
KEY POINTS
The procedures:
- are based on current scientific and technical knowledge;
- vary depending on the size of the food operator — they are more onerous for large-scale businesses.
Food business operators must:
- apply the mitigation measures set out in the regulation’s annexes;
- sample and analyse the food they produce;
- consider whether changes to their production processes are necessary.
The measures apply to:
- selection, storage and transport of raw ingredients;
- recipes and design processes;
- information to the public.
The products covered by the legislation are:
- French fries, other cut deep-fried products, and sliced potato crisps from fresh potatoes;
- potato crisps, snacks, crackers and other potato products from potato dough;
- bread;
- fine bakery items such as cookies, biscuits, rusks, cereal bars, scones, cornets, wafers, crumpets, gingerbread, crackers and crisp breads;
- coffee (roast and instant) and coffee substitutes;
- baby food and processed cereal-based food for infants and young children.
The European Commission will:
- consider setting maximum acrylamide levels for certain foods;
- review the benchmark levels in the regulation every 3 years. The first time will be in 2021.
FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?
It applies from .
BACKGROUND
Acrylamide is a carcinogenic substance that forms naturally when food, especially potato- or cereal-based products, coffee and coffee substitutes, is fried, roasted or baked at temperatures above 120°C.
The European Food Safety Authority confirmed in 2015 that acrylamide potentially increases the risk of developing cancer.
The regulation is in line with the principle established in Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on hygiene of foodstuff that the food we eat must meet high levels of consumer protection.
For more information see:
- Acrylamide: vote in favour of Commission's proposal to reduce presence in food — press release (European Commission)
- Acrylamide (European Food Safety Authority).
KEY TERMS
- Acrylamide: a natural substance that forms from amino acid and sugars in high temperatures.
MAIN DOCUMENT
Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/2158 of establishing mitigation measures and benchmark levels for the reduction of the presence of acrylamide in food (OJ L 304, , pp. 24-44)
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