Acrylamide: your questions answered

In 2002, Swedish studies revealed that high levels of acrylamide formed during the frying or baking of potato or cereal products. This raised worldwide public concern because studies in laboratory animals suggest acrylamide has the potential to cause cancer in humans.

Although acrylamide has caused nerve damage in people who have been exposed to very high levels as a result of occupational and accidental exposure through industrial use, it is less clear what the risks are from the acrylamide found in food. Acrylamide is considered to be a genotoxic carcinogen because it has the potential to cause cancer by interacting with the genetic material (DNA) in cells. Based on independent expert scientific advice, the Agency believes that exposure to such chemicals should be as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP).

The international Joint Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Health Organisation Expert Committee on Food Additives (JEFCA) concluded that, on the basis of animal studies, the global levels of dietary exposure to acrylamide may be of concern to human health and therefore appropriate efforts to reduce acrylamide levels in food should continue. This was endorsed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

No. Acrylamide appears to be formed in food by common cooking practices and so humans are likely to have been exposed to acrylamide in their diet for some considerable time, and probably for as long as cooking has existed.

It is not currently possible to determine the level of risk to human health. The UK independent Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COC) does not consider it valid to calculate numbers of anticipated human cancer cases from the results of animal studies. Given the uncertainties in exposure and the possible exposure to sources other than food, scientists have concluded that further research is needed before any definitive conclusions can be drawn on the cancer risks of acrylamide in food. It is likely that any risk will be greater for people who regularly eat a lot of food that tends to be higher in acrylamide.

Acrylamide occurs naturally as a result of cooking/processing certain foods at high temperature, therefore, it isn't possible to remove it from food once it has been produced.

The Agency has funded several research projects on acrylamide that have further developed our understanding of how it is formed and measures to reduce it. The Agency is also continuing, during 2012-2014, the rolling survey measuring acrylamide in UK retail products. Survey results from all EU member states are sent to EFSA for analysis.

The Agency continues to meet with food business representatives to support acrylamide reduction.

Agency analysis of the data in UK surveys since 2007 shows an apparent increase in the levels of acrylamide in processed cereal-based baby foods (excluding rusks), though the sample size was quite small and may not be entirely representative of all such products on sale.

It is not possible to explain this apparent increase at this stage. The overall European trend (which includes UK survey data since 2007) shows no statistically significant change for the years 2007-2009 for processed cereal-based food. Only a comparatively small number of UK products have been sampled since 2007 and it has not always been possible to sample the same brand of product each year. Therefore, to establish clearer trends in the UK, further sampling of processed cereal based baby foods is being carried out during 2011-2013.

The levels of acrylamide reported currently do not increase concern about risk to health and the Agency has not changed its advice to consumers. Parents and carers should follow Department of Health guidance at NHS Choices for feeding infants and young children. For other dietary advice, talk to your GP or dietician.

Vegetable crisps, potato crisps, instant coffee and canned black olives were found to contain the highest levels of acrylamide when compared with other foods sampled during the 2010-2011 survey.

The Agency does not advise people to stop eating any of these foods, but you should follow Department of Health advice from the NHS Choices website on eating a healthy, balanced diet. We also recommend that, when making chips at home, they are cooked to a light golden colour. Bread should be toasted to the lightest colour acceptable. However, manufacturers' instructions for frying or oven-heating foods, such as chips, should be followed carefully.

The Agency is working with stakeholders, including the food industry, to increase knowledge and understanding of how to reduce acrylamide in food. As part of the international effort, the food industry is also carrying out research to find ways of reducing the levels of acrylamide in food. FoodDrinkEurope (which represents the food and drink industry’s interests at the European and international level) has produced a document known as the ‘toolkit’ that outlines ways of reducing acrylamide in food manufacture for a variety of foods and processes. FoodDrinkEurope has also developed brochures for small businesses on reducing acrylamide in processed food.

• A 2010 meeting of the Joint Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)/ World Health Organisation (WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) concluded that levels of dietary exposure to acrylamide indicate a human health concern and advised that exposure to acrylamide in food should be as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP).
• The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) has developed a Code of Practice for the reduction of acrylamide in food to disseminate best practice to manufacturers.
• The European Commission has recommended that member states continue the collection of acrylamide monitoring data and as with previous surveys send the data to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
• In 2011 EFSA published a report on the monitoring and exposure assessment of acrylamide in food across the EU and concluded that to detect clearer trends with regards to the levels of acrylamide, the number of surveillance years needs to be extended.

There are currently no regulatory maximum limits for acrylamide in food. However, the European Commission (EC) has introduced 'indicative values' for those food groups considered to contribute the most to consumer dietary exposure to acrylamide. Indicative values are not maximum limits and are intended only as a guide to prompt investigation when higher levels occur so that enforcement authorities can gain more data to understand better where problems may be.

It is possible that maximum limits may be proposed sometime in the future.

Where a product exceeds an indicative value, local authority investigating officers will gather information and data from the food business operator and inform the Agency. The Agency will then summarise the findings and report these to the European Commission. Of the 248 samples analysed for acrylamide during the 2010-2011 survey, for example, 13 samples were found to exceed their 'indicative value'. The local authority investigations should provide information that will help refine industry’s mitigation strategies for acrylamide.

Polyacrylamide may be used by the paper and board industry. The substances used to manufacture plastic packaging are controlled by European Commission Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011. The Agency has previously carried out research to determine whether any acrylamide is present in paper and board packaging materials for food, and whether any acrylamide passes into food from this packaging. The main conclusion of this survey was that it is very unlikely that paper and board packaging is a source of acrylamide in food.

Polyacrylamide is used as a cleaning agent for drinking water. It combines with solid material, making it easier to filter and remove unwanted substances from the water. During this process, acrylamide is released when the polyacrylamide comes into contact with the water. For further information, please contact the Drinking Water Inspectorate

There is a legal limit set by the EU for drinking water. This is set at 0.1 microgram per litre of water.