About Acrylamide
Acrylamide is a chemical compound categorized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "probably carcinogenic to humans," and a Group 2A carcinogenic substance. In April 2002, Swedish scientists surprised the world by announcing the discovery of significant quantities of the chemical acrylamide in a variety of baked, fried or toasted foods. The list now includes bread, potato chips, French fries, crackers, biscuits, breakfast cereals, baby food, toasted bread, breaded meat products and coffee.
Acrylamide is a known animal carcinogen and human neurotoxicant, and its discovery in many foods prompted immediate reaction from governments worldwide, as well as intense media coverage. Acrylamide is found mainly in plant-based foods that are rich in carbohydrates and low in protein. Acrylamide forms as a by-product of the high-temperature cooking processes associated with frying, baking and roasting, whether conducted by food manufacturers or in home cooking. Research to-date indicates that carbohydrate-rich foods such as potatoes and cereal foods are particularly susceptible to acrylamide formation. Scientists have determined that acrylamide forms, in foods such as these that are cooked at high temperatures, as a result of a chemical reaction between the amino acid asparagine and reducing sugars such as glucose and fructose (part of the Maillard reaction). The highest concentrations of acrylamide have been detected in potato chips and French fries. Additional research is being undertaken in order to more fully understand the risks of acrylamide to human health.
In the meantime, regulatory authorities continue to increase their health risk assessments of and tighten their food safety policies towards acrylamide exposure. For example, acrylamide has been listed on the State of California's Proposition 65 list of carcinogenic or mutagenic substances since 1990 as a cancer risk. Subsequently in early 2011, the California authorities revised the list to also label acrylamide as a known reproductive toxicant to humans. Any products sold in California that contain a Proposition 65 listed compound must carry a label warning the purchaser that the substance is present in the product. Acrylamide has also been recently added to the candidate list for inclusion on the European Union's Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) following a unanimous decision by an expert EU health panel.
In recent years, national health regulatory bodies and the food industry have been cooperating on approaches to reduce acrylamide levels in processed foods. These approaches include changing the pH to alter the reaction products; cutting heating temperatures and times; using an enzyme to convert asparagine to an impotent form; binding asparagine to make it inaccessible; adding amino acids; and removing compounds from the recipe that may promote acrylamide formation. With Acryleast™, Phyterra is pleased to offer an innovative, robust and easily adopted solution in the form of its acrylamide-preventing yeasts that consume most of the asparagine before it can be heated and converted to acrylamide.