Acrylamide Concerns Raised by European Union, New Consumer Research

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is reportedly seeking comments on a proposal to include acrylamide on its hazardous chemicals list along with 14 additional “Substances of Very High Concern” (SVHC). Tendered by the European Environment Agency and several member states, the proposal would classify acrylamide, which forms in some foods during high-temperature cooking, as a category 2 carcinogen and a category 2 mutagen. If unanimously confirmed as an SVHC by ECHA’s Member State Committee, acrylamide would become eligible for the list of substances subject to authorization under EU’s REACH legislation. ECHA will accept comments focusing on the hazardous properties of acrylamide until October 15, 2009. See FoodProductionDaily. com and IHS News, September 2, 2009.

In a related development, new consumer research has reportedly shown that a majority of U.S. consumers are unaware of acrylamide as a suspected carcinogen, even as governmental actions in North America have intensified to deal with it. The consultancy firm Financial Dynamics International evidently surveyed 1,002 American consumers aged 25 and older and found “virtually no awareness or familiarity of acrylamide among U.S. consumers,” according to a firm spokesman. “Upon learning of the acrylamide issue, however, nearly half of consumers are likely to self-educate about acrylamide to learn more as well as alter food consumption and food purchasing decisions. Consumers indicated they would like to see acrylamide levels listed on food packaging.” See FoodProductionDaily.com, September 2, 2009; FoodNavigator-USA.com, September 3, 2009.