1 FAO/WHO Seminar on Acrylamide in Food, Arusha, 16 March 2003 EU Commission Perspective on Acrylamide in Food Dr Martin Slayne European Commission Directorate General Health & Consumer Protection Chemical and physical risks; surveillance

2 OVERVIEW  EU Commission consultations  Initiatives  Database on EU research activities  Summary  What next?  Risk management?

3 EU Commission Consultations  Scientific Committee on Food risk assessment  opinion 3 July 2002  genotoxic + carcinogenic properties  reduce levels to ALARA, but more data needed (reducing levels, formation, exposure, bioavailability, mode of carcinogenic action, intake/ toxicity, biomarkers, epidemiology)  how to reduce? clarify safety implications  endorsed advice FAO/ WHO consultation June 2002 (don’t overcook, healthy eating, investigate how to reduce, international network)

4  Meeting October 2002 EU Member States + stakeholder groups  co-ordination of EU activities  industry action plan - data, formation, product characterisitics, commercial scale?  potential to quantify risk?  consumer groups - honest information on uncertainties, future advice e.g. food preparation?

5 Initiatives  DG for Health & Consumer Protection  database to summarise EU research activities dex_en.html  ongoing assessments in collaboration with European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)  DG for Research  research topic for long term aspects - Framework Programme 6, Theme ‘Food Quality & Safety’: ‘Health risks from heat-treated foods and food products’

6  Research workshop 28 March 2003  Dutch Food Authority (VWA), UK Food Standards Agency, EU Food Industry (CIAA), EU Commission, EFSA  Identify and focus on gaps in knowledge  Joint Research Centre  assess analytical methods, workshop April  data collection (levels of acrylamide in foods)

7 Database on EU Research Activities  Published on website 28 February  10 study areas, 98 entries  Summarises research activities  Helps provide complete picture  Updates  Link to FAO/WHO Infonet

8 Summary of database entries

9 Area 1. Levels of acrylamide in foods  17 entries  foods tested e.g. cereals, breads, crackers, potato crisps, chips, biscuits, chocolate, coffee, baby foods etc. Up to > 3000  g/kg  effects of cooking: toasting, baking, frying, boiling etc.  ongoing studies e.g. total diet

10 Area 2. Dietary exposure  9 entries  provisional estimates:  ~0.5  g/kg.bw/day mean adult  up to 1.1  g/kg.bw/day adult high consumer  ~0.3  g/kg.bw/day mean infant  up to 2.9  g/kg.bw/day children high consumers  coffee  ~ one third of exposure Nor + Swiss  ongoing studies

11 Area 3. Ways to reduce levels  17 entries (mainly potato and cereal products)  processing potato products  blanching,  temp.,  time - not connected?  raw materials variable  bread/ crispbread  high in crusts, baking in closed containers  levels  cereal type - no significant influence?   reducing sugars did not  acrylamide  ongoing + planned studies (  2006)  raw materials, storage, processing, enzyme treatment etc.

12 Area 4. Mechanisms of formation  6 entries  ongoing + planned  mechanism of formation in different foods  amino acids (asparagine) + reducing sugars (glucose)

13 Area 5. Bioavailability  3 entries  profile of acrylamide and metabolites compared with toxicological profile (ongoing) - humans, pigs and rats?

14 Area 6. Toxicology/ carcinogenicity  7 entries  ongoing + planned  dose-effect at low doses  mutagenicity + carcinogenicity via diet  cytotoxicity on gut mucosa cells at low doses  in vivo DNA damage  colon cancer model

15 Area 7. Biomarkers  4 entries  ongoing + planned  methods for haemoglobin adducts in blood  dose and effect

16 Area 8. Epidemiology  2 entries  one study shows no significant link between consumption of fries and crisps and cancer (cardiovascular implications not yet available)

17 Area 9. Methods of analysis  20 entries  Developing methods e.g. LC MS/MS, GC-MS  Validating methods  Performance testing studies  N.B. Joint Research Centre has collated technical details for workshop April

18 Area 10. International activities  13 entries  FAO/WHO consultation + infonet  DG Research proposal for international collaboration  Scientific Committee opinions (environ., cosmetic, food)  Joint Research Centre initiatives  US JIFSAN workshop (Oct 2002)  ILSI Europe brainstorming meeting (Dec 2002) - task force - toxicology  Switzerland - range of studies e.g. methods, duplicate diet (coffee), potato processing...

19 Summary  Database gives general picture of current + anticipated information  Indications on ways to reduce levels/ avoid formation in some products, but many factors  Dietary exposure - not only potato and cereal products e.g. coffee  Health implications from acrylamide in food unclear  International initiatives generating much data

20 What next?  Studies ongoing + planned, workshops  Collaboration + exchange of information  Urgency to clarify risk from acrylamide in food - potential genotoxic carcinogen  Aim to reduce levels  Focus on foods contributing most + foods for infants + young children?

21 Risk Management Options?  Codes of Good Practice?  producers, processors, caterers…  Advice to consumers?  dietary, food preparation, cooking…  Administrative/ Governmental measures?  target levels/ minimisation strategy? (e.g. as adopted by Germany)  limits?

22 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Djien Liem European Food Safety Authority Database link: acryl_index_en.html