Acrylamide formation in heated food became a totally new research field, when its presence in various foods was revealed in 2002.
The EU Commission reacted swiftly and in DG Research Framework Programme 6 (FP6) a strategic targeted research project, HEATOX, was established. The three-year project included 24 partners from 14 countries, mostly universities and research institutes, but also authorities and a European consumer organisation.
These are conclusions of the European research project HEATOX:
- Increasing toxicological evidence suggests that acrylamide in food might be a cancer risk factor.
- There are ways to decrease exposure to acrylamide, but not to eliminate it.
- Sufficient analytical methods to detect acrylamide in relevant foods are now available.
- Acrylamide is not the only risk factor in cooked foods.
