1. NFCs Neo-formed contaminants
ELC MEETING London, 19-20th april 2007
Prof. Andrés Gavilán
President of AFCA

2. Which are the NFCs origen and toxicity? Which are the main NFCs?
SUMMARY
What NFC are?
Which are the NFCs origen and toxicity?
Which are the main NFCs?
NFC containing food matrices
NFC management in Europe (ICARE Consortium)
NFC detection & minimization
NFC future legislation

3. 1. What NFC are?
“Process chemical contaminants, unvoluntary generated due specific global elaboration procedure. NFC means neo-formed contaminants, organic substances that become toxics for food and consumers. These NFC occur only at certain foods based in the chemical structure, composition and elaboration process among other factors”

4. 2. Which are the NFCs origen and toxicity?
NFC are formed from natural foods, both vegetal and animal origin, through oftenly a thermical previous elaboration stage at a high temperature (> 150º C) and some chemical substances that allow generate a contaminant.
Some NFC has severe toxic effect on human health: neurotoxicity, genotoxicity, nephrotoxicity and carcinogenicity.

5. We can consider two types:
3. Which are the main NFCs?
We can consider two types:
TS-NFC (Thermical source – NFCs)
CS-NFC (Chemical source – NFCs)

6. Types of TS-NFC (Thermical source – NFCs)
3. Which are the main NFCs?
Types of TS-NFC (Thermical source – NFCs)
ARC (acrylamide)
HMF (hydroxymethylfurfural)
TFA (trans-fatty acids)
FUR (furosins)
CML (carboximethyl-lysine)
PAH (polyaromatic hydrocarbons)
FRN (furanes)
...
NFC – levels
ALARA principle application
TMDI

7. Types of CS-NFC (Chemical source – NFCs)
3. Which are the main NFCs?
Types of CS-NFC (Chemical source – NFCs)
2-MCPD
Miscellaneous products
NFC – levels
ALARA principle application
TMDI

8. 4. NFC containing food matrices
Cereal based food
Crisps potatoes
Toasted bread
Crisps biscuits
Milk
UHSTS milk
Pasteurized infant formulae milk
Fruits
Malts and malt extracts
Soya products
Fried edible oils

9. 5. NFC management in Europe (ICARE Consortium)
Reasons:
NFCs need to be minimised on food for health reasons.
EC needs to stablish effective analytical methods for an adequated NFC detection on foods.
EC to be elaborate a regulation for NFCs existing types and maximun acceptable levels on foodstuffs.

10. 5. NFC management in Europe (ICARE Consortium)
Was created at 2005 by EC and falls on 6th Frame Programme.
ICARE = Impeding Contaminants Accumulation to Reduce their health Effect, applied to general foods.

11. 5. NFC management in Europe (ICARE Consortium)
Main scope:
Analyse NFC on foods
To minimize / delete NFC on foods
Reduce toxicity level of foods
Improve NFC containing foods for SMEs
Increase welfare and health protection for consumers

12. 6. NFC detection & minimization
In Order to dettect and minimize NFC on foodstuffs there are different responsibles:
Involved countries: Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Slovaky, Chekya
Actors: IAG, RTD (Performers), SMEs

13. 6. NFC detection & minimization
Scientifical laboratories and Technological Centers (RTD)
Lead: Action Plan, NFC analysis, Pilot Equipments and NFC minimization on industrial elaboration process.
IAG
Actions: Technical & scientifical advising and overall assessment.
SMEs
Functions: Food industries that will apply NFC analytical methods and NFC minimization programme.

14. 6. NFC detection & minimization
Working groups (WP = working packages)
For a fulfilment intended ICARE Project for NFC management there 14 WP:
WPO (Specifications and final use requeriments)
WP1 (Analytical methods)
WP2 (Calibration models)
WP3 (Flourophores identification)
WP4 (Analytical methods validation)
WP5 (NFC formation undertanding at laboratory scale)
WP6 (Pilot scale NFC analytical methods validation)
WP7 (Industrial scale NFC analytical methods validation)

15. 6. NFC detection & minimization
Working groups (WP = working packages)
For a fulfilment intended ICARE Project for NFC management there 14 WP:
WP8 (Comparative study between standard diet and boiled diet)
WP9 (Comparative study on infant formulae impact)
WP10 (-)
WP11 (Innovations and subjects)
WP12 (Formation and training)
WP13 (Project management)

16. 6. NFC detection & minimization
ICARE project (Main features)
Assigned period for ICARE 3 years (since 2005)
Project otorgued budget: Fixed by EC
Meeting frequence / 2 meeting / year, healding:
I) Steering Committee
II) General Assembly
Update action:
Official ICARE project dissemination around UE members states.
Next ICARE meeting
Praha, 28-29th june 2007

17. 7. NFC future legislation
When:
All the NFC Priority List become full identified and quantified on pre-choiced food matrices.
The involved analytical methods for NFC will be implemented intended on-line at SMEs for NFC detection at different operation steps.
Be fulfiled applied a specific NFC Minimization Programme at SMEs and its efficacy being comproved.

18. 7. NFC future legislation
Then:
Will be published the List of NFC pointing out the food matrices and the maximum permited NFC levels, probably as European Regulation Commission.
Will be approved and adopted specific analytical methods for all identified NFC on foodstuffs.
Is expected that new NFC will be introduced in order to increased an adequated protection health level to consumers.

19. Thank you very much for you atention !
Andrés Gavilán
President of AFCA