Online acrylamide

As promised last year the European Commission is now offering online access to a new database that compiles research efforts on several topics related to the issue of acrylamide in food.

The chemical acrylamide, a potential carcinogen, is present in food as a result of certain cooking practices and scientists across the world are currently investigating the possible risks to public health. This latest move by the Commission was established in close co-operation with the European Food Safety Authority.

David Byrne, Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, commented on Monday: "We must look closely at the issue of acrylamide in food to evaluate the potential threat to public health and determine which actions might need to be taken. It is important that all researchers have a global picture of what efforts are undertaken. This database will help provide this picture."​

The online database​ - comprised of ten separate areas of study - aims to provide a more complete picture of the developing work on acrylamide in food. The breakdown concerns levels of acrylamide in food, dietary exposure to acrylamide in food, ways to reduce levels of acrylamide in food, mechanisms of formation and bioavailability of acrylamide in food. In addition, toxicology/carcinogenicity, biomarkers, epidemiology, methods of analysis and finally, international activities.

In April 2002, the Swedish Authorities highlighted the presence of acrylamide in food. The Commission consulted its Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) to assess the possible risk to public health and the SCF concluded later that levels of this potential carcinogen should be reduced by as much as reasonably possible, although it emphasised that more data were needed to help achieve reductions and to help clarify the safety implications.