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Since the discovery of elevated levels of acrylamide in heat treated food products in 2002, monitoring of this substance has been carried out world wide. The food industry is working to reduce the content of acrylamide through modifying the technological processes.
The quality of analytical data is essential when monitoring the influence of food processing and for compiling reliable databases used for risk assessment. IRMM has reviewed the analytical methods available and organised interlaboratory comparisons, resulting in an internationally accepted standardised testing method. To support method validation a certified toasted bread reference material has been prepared. IRMM also participated as scientific advisor in the HEATOX project funded from the European Commission’s Framework Programme.
Together with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) the European Commission has established an information base on research activities currently carried out in Europe. IRMM keeps a European monitoring database containing to-date 7150 validated data from EU Member States and the European food industry.
International standard
IRMM, together with the National Food Administration, Sweden has co-authored the International Standard NMKL Method No. 185, 2007 (Nordic Committee on Food Analysis): Acrylamide. Determination in bakery and potato products by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS).
The standard is based on method validation work carried out at the IRMM:
Wenzl, T., Karasek, L., Rosen, J., Hellenäs, K., Castle, L., Anklam, E., Collaborative trial validation study of two methods, one based on HPLC-MS/MS and on GC-MS for the determination of acrylamide in bakery and potato products, Journal of Chromatography A 1132 (2006) 211-218