Problems :

• Store and fry potatoes and carbohydrates with new scientific indications that are explained in detail below.
• Pay attention to cooking temperatures for fried and baked products, and also coffee blends

Important news from the European Commission on the subject of food and in particular on the way of cooking potatoes and carbohydrates (biscuits, cakes, bread etc. generally referred to as baked goods).

Commission Regulation No. 2158/2017 of 20 November 2017 institutes measures of mitigation and levels of reference relative to the reduction of the presence of acrylamide in food. This directly regards potatoes and carbohydrates.

Potatoes must be stored in a dry place at a temperature between 5° and 13°C to prevent the following three defects taking place, which make this tuber less appetising, unusable or harmful:

• roughness of the skin that becomes shrivelled
• green colour of the skin
• sprouting of shoots

These defects can lead to a brown colour when the potato is fried and generates acrylamide. Acrylamide is a contaminant as defined in Council Regulation (EEC) No. 315/93 and, as such, is a chemical hazard in the food chain. Acrylamide is an organic compound with a low molecular weight, and highly water soluble, and is formed from the constituents of asparagine and sugars naturally present in certain foods when prepared at temperatures normally higher than 120°C with a low moisture level. Acrylamide is formed mainly in baked or fried carbohydrate-rich foods comprising raw materials that contain their precursors such as cereals, potatoes and coffee beans.

In 2015, the Scientific Group of experts on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM Group) of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) adopted an opinion on acrylamide in food. Based on animal studies, the EFSA confirmed previous evaluations that acrylamide in food potentially increases the risk of developing cancer for consumers in all age groups. Since acrylamide is present in a wide range of everyday foods, this concern regards all consumers although children are the most exposed age group on a bodyweight basis. End-users of potato-based products, before the frying or baking process, should:

• Wash and soak the potatoes, preferably from 30 minutes up to 2 hours, in cold water.
• Cut them into strips (chips) and wash for a few minutes in lukewarm water, then rinse in clean water.
• Blanch the potatoes for a few minutes, and dry them before frying, which results in lower levels of acrylamide.
• Use the best cooking oils when frying chips or other potato-based products, which allows quicker frying times and/or lower temperatures.
• Maintain temperatures from 160° to 175°C when frying, and 180° to 200°C baking in the oven (temperatures can be lower when using the ventilator).
• Preheat cooking utensils (e.g. oven, hot-air fryers) to a correct temperature between 180° and 220°C according to the specific cooking instructions of the product.
• Cook the potatoes until they take on a golden colour. Do not cook the food too long.
• Turn the potatoes in the oven after about 10 minutes or halfway through the total cooking time.
• Follow the cooking instructions recommended by manufacturers.
• Reduce cooking times to avoid excessive golden colouring when preparing a lower number of potatoes with respect to what is indicated by the manufacturer.
• Do not overfill the basket of the fryer – fill halfway until the mark to avoid excessive absorption of oil during frying times.

The regulation also discusses in detail blends of Coffee beans.

With regard to the composition of coffee blends, those products with a Robusta coffee bean base essentially have a higher acrilamide content than products with an Arabica coffee bean base.

To date, the press has not highlighted the problem but we hope this article will contribute to concentrating people’s attention on the matter.

The new Regulations shall be applied with affect from 11 April 2018

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http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/IT/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32017R2158#ntr2-L_2017304IT.01002401-E0002