Progress on reducing acrylamide levels in potato crisps in Europe, 2002 to 2019

ABSTRACT

European Snacks Association (ESA) data on acrylamide in potato crisps from 2002 to 2019 (99704 observations) were analysed. Acrylamide levels have plateaued since 2011, although the lowest mean so far was attained in 2018 at 353 ± 2.7 ng g⁻¹: a 54% reduction since 2002. The 85^th, 90^th and 95^th quantiles did show evidence of continued downward progress, the 90^th quantile being lower than the 750 ng g⁻¹ European Benchmark Level from 2017 to 2019. A smaller dataset from the European Food Safety Authority (2124 observations) for 2011–2018 was also analysed. The yearly means were higher than those of the ESA data but showed a fall in average acrylamide from 715 ± 40.5 ng g⁻¹ in 2015 to 505 ± 28.5 ng g⁻¹ in 2018, as well as steep falls in the 85^th, 90^th and 95^th quantiles. Nevertheless, even the 85^th quantile remained above the 750 ng g⁻¹ Benchmark Level. The ESA data showed a reduction in the proportion of samples with acrylamide exceeding 750 ng g⁻¹, from over 40% in 2002 to 7.75% in 2019. Seasonality was evident, with highest acrylamide levels from November to May. Crisp type had little effect except that thicker types had a higher proportion of samples containing >750 ng g⁻¹ acrylamide. Analysis of the region of origin in Europe of the final product revealed improvements in the east and north. Geographical factors combined with seasonality continued to be problematic but was also an aspect in which progress was most evident. The findings show that improvements have been made in reducing the number of samples with very high levels of acrylamide, but do not suggest that mean acrylamide levels could be reduced substantially below where they have been since 2011, or that levels could be kept consistently below the current Benchmark Level.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• LC-MS/MS
• GC-MS
• statistical analysis
• acrylamide
• potato
• snack products
• food safety
• processing contaminant

Acknowledgments

Rothamsted Research receives grant-aided support from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) of the United Kingdom, and NGH is supported at Rothamsted Research by the Designing Future Wheat programme (BB/P016855/1). The European Snacks Association (ESA) is a trade association representing the European savoury snacks industry on behalf of member snack manufacturers and suppliers to the industry. ESA is guided by a board of directors drawn from member companies. The data presented in this report were provided anonymously by member companies via the ESA Secretariat. ESA member companies had no influence over the data analysis and the views expressed in the paper do not necessarily reflect the views of those ESA member companies.