The German Minimisation Concept for Acrylamide

Angela Göbel (1) , Andreas Kliemant (2)

1 Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit (BVL)
2 Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit (BVL)

The German minimisation concept for acrylamide was established as a reaction on the concern caused by the discovery of acrylamide in a wide range of foodstuffs in 2002. It is a pragmatic approach based on a voluntary agreement of all partners involved, governmental organisations as well as the affected industry, with the common aim of a gradual reduction of acrylamide contents in food. Now, about four years after its start, an evaluation shows the potential of this concept. For some commodity groups, minimisation of acrylamide contents has already been successful, while further minimisation efforts are necessary in other groups to achieve a comprehensive minimisation in all food groups concerned. In contrast to legal regulations, the minimisation concept is a soft risk management instrument. It represents a novel approach to cope with situations when maximum levels are not available, for instance. Such a concept can be considered as a smart solution to bring about preventive measures resulting in health protection. As an innovative risk management tool, it has the potential to tackle the challenges of consumer protection in the future.

Mots clés: Life Sciences

Angela Göbel, Andreas Kliemant. The German Minimisation Concept for Acrylamide. Food Additives and Contaminants, 2007, 24 (S1), pp.82-90. ⟨10.1080/02652030701452116⟩. ⟨hal-00577529⟩