UN establishes website on acrylamide, toxic chemical found in food

Two United Nations agencies today announced the establishment of a new website that serves as an international network for information on acrylamide, a toxic chemical reportedly found in some fried or baked foods.

The site includes information on experts, data, references, updates on the current status of research efforts as well as findings on the health risk of the chemical in food, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) said.

The website will also identify gaps and overlaps in research, suggest how to address these problems, and serve as a discussion forum for active researchers in the field.

Widely known to cause cancer and nerve damage in animals, acrylamide is used in the manufacture of plastics and is strictly controlled by environmental regulations. In April, the Swedish National Food Administration had announced that it "unexpectedly" found the compound in certain foods cooked above 120 degrees Celsius, including potato chips, french fries, bread and processed cereal.

The researchers, however, said they were not able to determine if other foods contained the compound and that data on foods consumed in regions outside of Europe and North America were missing from their research.

While there has been no study linking acrylamide with cancers in humans, FAO says it is known to cause DNA damage at high doses and produce some neurological and adverse reproductive effects.

The website will be operated by the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, a programme administered by the United States Food and Drug Administration and the University of Maryland. The network’s creation stems from a decision taken in June at a consultative meeting of 23 scientific experts in carcinogenicity, toxicology, food technology, biochemistry and analytical chemistry.