Survey of process contaminants in retail foods 2007
Wednesday 10 September 2008
Food Survey Information Sheet 03/08.
This Food Surveillance Information Sheet (FSIS) contains the results from the first year of a three-year rolling programme. The programme measures the amounts of acrylamide, along with three other chemicals produced in food when it is processed during food manufacture, home cooking, packaging or other processing activities. These sorts of chemicals are known as 'process contaminants'.
A total of 335 analyses on 192 samples representing 10 food groups are reported. Samples were taken from retail outlets in the UK and represent a snapshot of levels in a range of products as they would be bought by people. Samples were tested for acrylamide, as well as 3-MCPD (3-monochloropropanediol), furan and ethyl carbamate where appropriate.
Acrylamide, furan and ethyl carbamate have the potential to cause cancer even at very low levels of exposure and experts advise that exposure to these process contaminants should be as low as reasonably practicable. For 3-MCPD, expert committees have set a safety guideline (Tolerable Daily Intake) below which there is not considered to be a risk of cancer or other toxicological effects.
Occurrence and levels for all of the process contaminants surveyed were in line with results from previous research and UK and international surveys. Based on previous risk assessments, the occurrence and levels found do not increase concern about the risk to people's health.
These results do not affect Agency advice on process contaminants. The Agency advises that people should eat a healthy balanced diet, including plenty of fruits and vegetables, bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods, some meat, fish, eggs, beans, milk and dairy foods, and just a small amount of foods and drinks high in salt, fat and/or sugar (including chips and crisps).
Acrylamide
A total of 178 samples were analysed. The results were all within previously reported ranges with the highest mean concentration of acrylamide found in the prefabricated potato snacks at 1143 µg/kg. The highest concentration of acrylamide found was also in this group, at 1820 µg/kg. Jarred/processed cereal-based baby foods, and bread, contained very low levels of acrylamide in comparison.
3-MCPD
A total of 78 samples were analysed. Biscuits and crackers had the highest levels of 3-MCPD found with a mean level of 27 µg/kg. No 3-MCPD was found in any of the breakfast cereal samples analysed.
Furan
A total of 45 samples were analysed. The highest levels of furan were found in samples of coffee roasted beans/ground coffee (not brewed) with a mean level of 3232 µg/kg. Due to the high volatility of furan, a considerable amount is lost when brewing coffee. Therefore, consumers would not have been exposed to the levels reported here as these results were obtained from retail samples before brewing.
Ethyl cambamate
A total of 30 samples of a wide range of bread types, one fermented crispbread and three soy sauces were tested for ethyl carbamate. The ethyl carbamate concentrations, where present in the products, were relatively low and in line with previously reported results.
Related links
(pdf 231KB)