The Confederation of the Food and Drink Industry of the EU (CIAA) today published key updates to its Acrylamide Toolbox, integrating for the first time information the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA).

The toolbox is a valuable resource for food and drink manufacturers hoping to identify the best ways to reduce acrylamide in their products. A few key updates to he CIAA Toolbox include:

• Information from food and beverage manufacturers in the USA, provided through the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), has now been integrated into the CIAA Toolbox; GMA are now involved in the Toolbox revision and final validation process.
• The latest sectoral reviews (CAOBISCO(1), UEITP(2) and ESA(3)) on the use of the tools recommended in the Toolbox have been included.
• Information from Switzerland on sugar contents in potatoes has been added.
• The “Recipe: Raising agents (e.g. ammonium and sodium salts)” has been modified to better reflect the content of the tool.
• “Processing: Asparaginase” is now listed as a separate tool.
• The latest scientific publications (e.g. risk-benefit modelling on sodium exposure) and project updates (e.g. BLL(4)) have been included where relevant.

“The Toolbox has once again progressed significantly and thereby demonstrates the full commitment of food and drink manufacturers to actively explore all possible ways to mitigate its presence in their product categories. In fact, the Acrylamide Toolbox can today be seen as a "global tool" that provides ways for companies to reduce acrylamide formation,” said Dr. Richard Stadler, chairman of the CIAA Process Contaminants Expert Group.

The Acrylamide Toolbox is updated on a continuous basis as the science
progresses. The most recent edition of the Acrylamide toolbox can be found at http://www.ciaa.eu/asp/documents/brochures_form.asp?doc_id=65.

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(1) Association of the Chocolate, Biscuit and Confectionery Industries of the EU
(2) Union of the European Potato Processing Industry
(3) European Snacks association
(4) Bund für Lebensmittelrecht und Lebensmittelkunde

• Download this press release (.pdf)