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12 September 2008
ACFM Statement on Acrylamide in Breakfast Cereals

The Association of Cereal Food Manufacturers (ACFM) takes the issue of food safety extremely seriously and welcomes the findings from the Food Standards Agency's (FSA) recent survey, see link to FSA's website for further details: http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2008/sep/acrylamide.

The ACFM are reassured by the FSA's recent advice to consumers that "...people should eat a healthy balanced diet, including plenty of fruit and vegetables, bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods, some meat, fish eggs, beans, milk and diary food and just a small amount of foods and drinks high in salt, fat and/or sugar". The FSA additionally states that "... the occurrence and levels found do not increase concern about risk to human health."

Acrylamide is found in a variety of foods prepared by baking, roasting, grilling or frying, whether products are produced by the food industry or prepared in the home or restaurant. It has been estimated that about half the dietary intake of acrylamide comes from home cooked and catered foods.

The formation of acrylamide is complicated and is formed naturally during processing or cooking. Therefore it is not something which is deliberately added to any products. In general, we know that acrylamide is formed when we cook certain types of food at high temperatures (over 100°C).

ACFM works closely with the European breakfast cereal industry (CEEREAL) who have been one of the major contributors to the CIAA Toolbox, see link for further details: http://www.ciaa.be/asp/documents/l1.asp?doc_id=822
This toolbox gives all the actions differing sectors should do to minimise acrylamide.

ACFM members are striving to reduce acrylamide levels in their products to as low as reasonably practicable. The ACFM will continue to monitor research on acrylamide and work with the FSA and relevant stakeholders to increase knowledge and understanding.