Acrylamide in Foods

OMAR ALAJIL ( العجيل. أ عمر )M.Sc Food Technology

Table of contents Brief information about acrylamide Discovery of acrylamide in foods How Acrylamide is formed in Foods In which foods Acrylamide Health effects Regulation of acrylamide in Foods Research that need to be done How to lower dietary acrylamide

exposure Summary Bibliography

Brief information about Acrylamide

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Acrylamide is a low molecular weight, highly water soluble, organic compound.

It is used inter alia as an industrial chemical and in the production of polyacrylamides.

Acrylamide is a chemical used primarily as a building block in making polyacrylamide and acrylamide copolymers.

Polyacrylamide and acrylamide copolymers are used in many industrial processes, such as the production of paper, dyes, and plastics, and in the treatment of drinking water and wastewater, including sewage.

Discovery of acrylamide in foods

Process contaminant

Discovery of acraylamide In 2002, Swedish studies showed that

relatively high levels of acrylamide are formed during frying or baking of starch-containing foods such as potatoes and cereal products.

Acrylamide is a potentially cancer causing chemical. This finding is the first research report of the presence of such elevated levels of acrylamide in food after high temperature cooking.

The international scientific community, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) took the findings seriously.

A WHO/FAO Infonet (www.acrylamide-food.org/) was subsequently set up to facilitate the international exchange of relevant data and ongoing investigations as well as ways to reduce acrylamide in foods.

How Acrylamide is formed in Foods

How does cooking produce acrylamide? In April 2002 scientists in Sweden found

Acrylamide in starchy foods, such as potato chips (potato crisps), French fries, and bread that had been heated higher than 120 °C (248 °F) (production of acrylamide in the heating process was shown to be temperature-dependent).

It was not found in food that had been boiled or in foods that were not heated.

The main chemical process that causes this is known as the Maillard Reaction; it is the same reaction that ‘browns’ food and affects its taste.

Acrylamide forms from sugars and amino acids (mainly

one called asparagine) that are naturally present in many foods. Acrylamide is also present in tobacco smoke.

Acrylamide in food forms from sugars and an amino acid that are naturally present in food; it does not come from food packaging or

the environment.

Mechanism of acrylamide formation

In which foods

Is acrylamide something new in food? Acrylamide has probably always

been present in cooked foods. However, acrylamide was first detected in certain foods in April 2002.

Potato chips

What kinds of cooking lead to acrylamide formation? In what foods?

High temperature cooking, such as frying, roasting, or baking, is most likely to cause acrylamide formation. Boiling and steaming do not typically form acrylamide.

Acrylamide is found mainly in foods made from plants, such as potato products, grain products, or coffee.

Acrylamide does not form, or forms at lower levels, in dairy, meat, and fish products.

Amount of Acrylamide in Foods (ppm)

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CategoryEuropean

Data FDA DataBreads 12-3200 <10-364Crispbread <30-1670Crackers and Biscuits <30-2000 26-504Cereal <30-2300 52-266Other Grains <30Potato Chips 150-1280 117-2762Other Salty Snacks 122-416 12-1168French Fries 85-1104 20-1325Other Potato Products <20-12400Other Veg and Fruit Products 10-<50 <10-70

Amount of Acrylamide in Foods (ppm)

20

CategoryEuropean

Data FDA DataMeats < 30-64 < 10-116Candy and Dessert items < 20-110 < 10-909Cookies 36-199Coffee and Tea 170-700 175-351Other Nonalcoholic Beverages < 30Alcoholic Beverages 30Dairy Products 10-100 < 10-43Baby Food and Formula 40-120 < 10-130

Dry Soup Mixes< 10-1184

Gravy and Seasonings 38-54

Since acrylamide is present in a wide range of everyday foods, this health concern applies to all consumers but children are the most exposed age group on a body weight basis.

The most important food groups contributing to acrylamide exposure are fried potato products, coffee, biscuits, crackers, crisp bread and soft bread.

µg/day0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Biscuit / Cookies

All Other Foods

Relative Exposure to Acrylamide in U.S. Food

French Fries & Potatoes

Breads

Potato ChipsCereal

Coffee Cakes Dried Foods Pop Corn Salty Snacks Chocolate Products Nuts/Seeds/Butters

22

Generally, acrylamide is more likely to accumulate when cooking is done for longer periods or at higher temperatures.

Additional information on acrylamide, diet, and food storage and preparation are available at: www.fda.gov/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/ ChemicalContaminants/ucm151000.htm)

Are acrylamide levels in organic foods different from levels in other foods?Since acrylamide is formed through cooking, acrylamide levels in cooked organic foods should be similar to levels in cooked non-organic foods.

Acrylamide Health effects

Effects of Acrylamide on people

Acrylamide is considered to be a mutagen and possibly a carcinogen in humans.

Case studies provided by National Cancer Institute some of the cancers that are believed to be related to acrylamide are: oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, kidney, breast,ovary.

Neurological damage has been associated to exposure of high levels of acrylamide in water treatment plants.

There have been cases of human poisoning due to contaminated water in proximity to ground injection sites where acrylamide is disposed of.

Acrylamide is easily absorbed by the skin and distributed throughout the organism; the highest levels of acrylamide post-exposure are found in the blood, non-exposed skin, kidneys, liver, testes, and spleen.

Animal studies show neurotoxic effects as well as mutations in sperm.

Acrylamide has also been found to have neurotoxic effects in humans who have been exposed.

Human studies about Acrylamide In the studies, however, not all acrylamide-containing

foods were included in estimating exposures.

In addition, information in case-control studies about exposures is often based on interviews (personal or through questionnaires) with the case and control subjects, and these groups may differ in the accuracy of their recall about exposures.

One factor that might influence recall accuracy in cancer-related dietary studies is that diets are often altered after receiving a diagnosis of cancer.

The data from human studies were not adequate for dose-response assessment. The food authorities depends on data from studies on experimental animals to establish their reference points.

Possible confounding effects include the fact that humans have been cooking food for hundreds of thousands of years, so that results from animals may not be applicable.

Acrylamide toxicity from food exposure Although acrylamide has known toxic effects on

the nervous system and on fertility, a June 2002 report by the FAO/WHO concluded the intake level required to observe neuropathy (0.5 mg/kg body weight/day) was 500 times higher than the average dietary intake of acrylamide (1 μg/kg body weight/day).

For effects on fertility, the level is 2,000 times higher than the average intake.

Regulation of acrylamide in Foods

Public Health Significance of Acrylamide In 1994, the International Agency on

Research of Cancer (IARC) evaluated acrylamide as "probably carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A) after taking into consideration its genotoxic properties and evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals.

However, IARC also stated that the evidence available was not adequate to establish the carcinogenicity of acrylamide to humans.

In February 2009, Health Canada announced that they were assessing whether acrylamide, which occurs naturally during the cooking of French fries, potato chips, and other processed foods, is a hazard to human health and whether any regulatory action needs to be taken.

In December 2009, after a positive reception from the food industry, Health Canada invited comment from the public on this proposal.

Is there a risk from eating foods that contain acrylamide? In 2010, the Joint Food and Agriculture

Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) concluded that acrylamide is a human health concern, and suggested additional long-term studies.

FDA experts participated in the evaluation and provided data from new research studies on acrylamide risk.

The European Chemical Agency added acrylamide to the list of substances of very high concern in March 2010.

In 2015 , Following a comprehensive review, EFSA has published its scientific opinion on acrylamide in food.

Experts from EFSA’s Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) have reconfirmed previous evaluations that acrylamide in food potentially increases the risk of developing cancer for consumers in all age groups.

This conclusion has not changed since the draft

opinion was made available for an open public consultation in July 2014

Research that need to be done

What research is needed? Although studies in rodent

models suggest that acrylamide is a potential carcinogen, additional epidemiological cohort studies are needed to help determine any effects of dietary acrylamide intake on human cancer risk.

It is also important to determine how acrylamide is formed during the cooking process and whether acrylamide is present in foods other than those already tested.

This information will enable more accurate and comprehensive estimates of dietary exposure.

Biospecimen collections in cohort studies will provide an opportunity to avoid the limitations of interview-based dietary assessments by examining biomarkers of exposure to acrylamide and its metabolites in relation to the subsequent risk of cancer.

How to lower acrylamide dietary intake

Is there anything in the cooking process thatcan be changed to lower dietary acrylamideexposure?

Decreasing cooking time, blanching potatoes before frying, and postdrying (drying in a hot air oven after frying) have been shown to decrease the acrylamide content of some foods.

To minimize the risk of acrylamide in food, FAO and WHO advised that food should not be cooked excessively, i.e. for too long or at too high temperature. However, all food particularly meat and meat products should be cooked thoroughly to destroy food borne pathogens.

On the basis of information available on acrylamide, FAO and WHO reconfirm that the general advice on healthy eating remains valid and encourage consumers to eat balanced and varied diet, to eat more fruits and vegetables, and to moderate the consumption of fried and fatty foods so as to reduce the intake of foods high in acrylamide

Summary Acrylamide has widespread uses as an industrial chemical. Acrylamide is a carcinogenic substance that is formed in starchy food

products during high temperature cooking, including frying, baking, roasting and also industrial processing, at +120°C and low moisture.

The main chemical process that causes this is known as the Maillard Reaction; it is the same reaction that ‘browns’ food and affects its taste.

Acrylamide forms from sugars and amino acids (mainly one called asparagine) that are naturally present in many foods. Acrylamide is found in products such as potato crisps, French fries, bread, biscuits and coffee.

It was first detected in foods in April 2002 although it is likely that it has been present in food since cooking began.

Acrylamide also has many non food industrial uses and is present in tobacco smoke.

Neurotoxicity, adverse effects on male reproduction, developmental toxicity and carcinogenicity were identified as possible critical endpoints for AA toxicity from experimental animal studies. The data from human studies were inadequate for dose-response assessment.

Risks to consumers have been discussed by many international bodies (e.g. EFSA, FAO, WHO), EU committees and national authorities.

In 2010, (JECFA) concluded that acrylamide is a human health concern, and suggested additional long-term studies.

In 2015 Experts from EFSA’s Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) have reconfirmed previous evaluations that acrylamide in food potentially increases the risk of developing cancer for consumers in all age groups.

“Foods should not be cooked excessively...for too long or at too high a temperature... However, all food…should be cooked thoroughly to destroy food borne pathogens.”

Thanks for your kind

attention43

Is it possible to cook food without forming at least some AA ?????