The introduction of the new EU regulation concerning acrylamide levels in food has given added impetus for manufacturers to mitigate the substance in their products. Coming into force yesterday (April 11), the benchmark levels that have been set for various products and several key companies are coming forward with acrylamide reducing solutions.

One of them is Frutarom Food Protection Solutions with its natural all-in-one solution for acrylamide, oxidation-reduction. The high-antioxidant solution reduces acrylamides in heat-processed foods, decreases oxidation and extends shelf-life.

High-heat cooking can impart potentially carcinogenic acrylamides at levels that can exceed 1,000ppb. Commission Regulation (EU), 2017/2158 of November 20, 2017, establishes mitigation measures and benchmark levels for the reduction of the presence of acrylamide in food.

Frutarom conducted tests on fried potatoes and other snacks applying its all-natural INOLENS 4 and SyneROX HT, tailor-made formulations – and both formulations significantly reduced acrylamide concentration in the food matrices.

The level of acrylamide was decreased by 60 percent in the snacks and more than 90 percent in the fried potatoes.

The research team noted that such high reduction levels are readily attainable for food applications that have very high levels of acrylamide. The two formulations also significantly improved the oxidative stability of snacks and fried potatoes, as indicated by hexanal levels.

The performance of INOLENS 4 and SyneROX HT exceeded that of the synthetic antioxidant TBHQ, which is commonly used for frying oil stability improvement. Moreover, these formulations extended frying oil shelf-life, also outperforming TBHQ.

“Using these natural formulations in baking, frying applications and other high-heat applications is an ‘all-in-one’ solution that reduces acrylamides while significantly slowing oxidation and rancidity of oils and fats and extending shelf-life,” says Ohad Cohen, General Manager for Frutarom Food Protection Solutions.

“They are a preferred choice for ensuring compliance with the new regulations for acrylamide reduction. INOLENS and SyneROX have no impact on flavor, texture, or appearance.”

SyneROX and INOLENS are customized blends of rosemary oil and water-soluble extracts in powder and liquid forms, designed to enhance food quality.

“The INOLENS and SyneROX portfolio is a natural and cost-effective solution to the acrylamide reduction challenge,” adds Dushka Dimitrijevic, Director of Technical Sales and Applications for Frutarom Food Protection Solutions.

“They’re heat-stable, easy-to-use, and have no negative impact on the sensory profile of fried or baked foods. They ensure significant reduction of acrylamides in food products.”

Meanwhile, Man-Yee Chung, Business Manager Fine Baking at DSM Food Specialties, tells how the topic of acrylamide is heating up.

“Many large food manufacturers who produce baked goods, snacks and cereals have already taken significant steps to mitigate acrylamide in their products; however, the new regulation in Europe gives these efforts more focus and transparency,” he said.

“Our consumer research suggests this is a welcome move. Consumers are increasingly aware of acrylamide in food and they want action to be taken. Health organizations are becoming involved in consumer education, a recent example being the ‘Go for gold’ campaign in the UK which raised general awareness about acrylamide.”

“In the US, the preliminary decision by a California judge to require coffee providers to warn consumers about the presence of acrylamide in their products also indicates the topic of acrylamide is heating up.”

Chung adds how in the months leading up to this regulatory change in the EU, DSM product application experts have been working side-by-side with the company’s customers to help them take further steps to reduce acrylamide formation.

“This includes large producers but also an increasing number of small- and medium-size producers,” Chung adds.

“There are several things that producers can do to reduce acrylamide in their products, including adjusting ingredients or changing the process. The benefit of using PreventASe is that it has been shown to reduce acrylamide by up to 95 percent without significant changes to the recipe or process, and without affecting the end-products attributes such as taste, appearance, or texture.”

DSM offers both PreventASe and PreventASe XR, two asparaginases, to cover the broadest spectrum of applications. PreventASe is suitable for a broad range of applications; while PreventASe XR performs best in higher-pH applications.

“At DSM Food Specialties, we are driven to enable better food for everyone, and proud to contribute to the solution for acrylamide mitigation with our products and expertise,” Chung concludes.