The European Consumer Organization (BEUC) on Wednesday 6 March called on the European Commission to take action to better protect consumers and, in particular, children, against acrylamide - a carcinogenic chemical contaminant in certain foods cooked at very high temperatures that are widely consumed.
BEUC is relying on a new Europe-wide food test that confirms the presence of high levels of acrylamide. Ten consumer organisations have tested more than 500 foods known to contain acrylamide, such as crisps, biscuits, coffee and breakfast cereals.
Of particular concern are biscuits and wafers: one third of the samples tested had acrylamide levels at or above current guideline values.
The test also shows that, on average, carrot, beet or parsnip crisps, often perceived as healthier alternatives, contain twice as much acrylamide as potato-based crisps.
Therefore, BEUC urges the Commission to significantly lower the current reference values and make them binding on manufacturers, to quickly establish threshold values for biscuits and wafers for babies and young children and to establish at least reference values for vegetable crisps.
The current regulation requires large food companies to take measures to reduce acrylamide content in food production and reference levels, but not threshold values (EUROPE 11909/10). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)