News on Chemical Contaminants

Researchers in the United Kingdom aim for a new commercial potato that resists many of the worst vulnerabilities of potato crops around the world.

The blog FrankenFoodFacts recently published a review of the Innate potato of Simplot Plant Sciences. This blog by Layla Katiraee, who holds a Ph.D. in molecular genetics and is a senior scientist at a biotech company, offers the most insightful review of the Innate Potato PotatoPro has seen so far.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published its Scientific Opinion on Acrylamide in Food

Cellectis Plant Sciences, Inc. has announced today that the Plant Biotechnology Journal has accepted the publication of its peer-reviewed manuscript demonstrating the phenotypic validation of potato lines developed by inactivating a single endogenous gene responsible for sugar accumulation when stored at cold temperatures.

New research from an Iowa State University economist, Wallace Huffman, found consumers were willing to spend more for genetically modified potato products with reduced levels of a chemical compound linked to cancer.

A potato genetically engineered to reduce the amounts of a potentially harmful ingredient in French fries and potato chips has been approved for commercial planting, the Department of Agriculture announced on Friday.

The FSA (Food Standards Agency) has published the results from its latest study looking at levels of the process contaminants acrylamide and furan in a wide range of UK retail foods.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has released the first phase of the 24th Australian Total Diet Study (ATDS) which looked at Australian consumers’ dietary exposure to acrylamide and aluminium.

Novozymes announced the launch of Acrylaway® HighT, the first thermostable solution that reduces acrylamide levels in food products that are typically processed at extremely high temperatures.

The FDA has published a draft guidance for industry on Acrylamide in Foods. The guidance is being distributed for comment purposes only.

The FSA has published interim results from its fifth and latest study looking at levels of acrylamide, furan and the process contaminants in a range of UK foods.

Equipment manufacturer Heat and Control presents the savory snack industry with a new version of the vacuum fryer. They call it the Unitized Vacuum Fryer (UVF)

Machine manufacturer Florigo International has a long history in vacuum fryers and offers both batch and continuous systems. Recently the company tested the benefits of continuous vacuum frying on the acrylamide content of potato chips.

The Norwegian company Zeracryl AS has developed a patented process to reduce acrylamide levels in French fries between 50 – 90 per cent depending on selected solution.

In response to European concerns over high levels of the carcinogen acrylamide in processed foods, researchers are looking to reduce dietary levels of the chemical by developing a new variety of potato.

Intake of foods high in acrylamide during pregnancy is associated with lower birth weight and smaller head circumference. This was revealed in an international study of the diet of 1,100 pregnant women and newborns from Denmark, England, Greece, Norway...

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published its annual update report on acrylamide levels in food in 25 European countries. Acrylamide is a chemical contaminant produced during food processing. The report covers the monitoring period 2007-2...

La ingesta de alimentos con alto contenido de acrilamida durante el embarazo se asocia con un peso inferior y una menor circunferencia de la cabeza en recién nacidos.