Novozymes Acrylaway® is an innovative solution for significantly reducing the level of acrylamide in food without negatively influencing taste or appearance.
Pinpointing the problem
The amino acid asparagine is commonly found in starchy food and is the main mechanism behind the formation of the chemical acrylamide. During baking or frying a process call the Maillard reaction occurs, which is essential for important color and flavor developments in baked, fried, and toasted foods. Asparagine is converted to acrylamide through a cascade of reactions also involving certain sugars.
Concern invites innovation
Trials conducted on mice and rats by the International Agency for Research on Cancer raised initial alarm about acrylamide. Shortly afterwards the WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives recommended that efforts should be made to reduce the concentration of acrylamide in food.
Following intensive research, various solutions were proposed: reduced temperature and cooking time during baking; the substitution of ingredients like sucrose for inverted sugar; pH reductions; and the addition of competing amino acids. Unfortunately, these methods limit not only the presence of acrylamide but also desirable aspects of taste, appearance, and/or other appealing sensory characteristics like crispness.
A natural solution to a natural problem
Through its expertise in bioinnovation Novozymes developed a way to enzymatically reduce asparagine, the precursor to acrylamide, by converting the amino acid into aspartic acid. The solution, named Acrylaway, has been proven to substantially reduce acrylamide in a broad range of foods, for example biscuits, crispbread, crackers, and potato-based snacks, and lab and pilot tests in French fry production indicate the feasibility of acrylamide reduction here too. Most remarkably, these results are achieved without any noticeable change in taste or appearance.
A low-acrylamide future has arrived
Today’s consumers are increasingly conscious and cautious about what they eat. Health and food quality are major drivers for the market right now, and food safety is a key consumer concern. It is a fundamental need of modern society that food should be not only tasty and of high quality, but also safe and healthy. Through innovative enzyme solutions such as Acrylaway, Novozymes works with food manufacturers to bring better food products to the consumers of today and tomorrow.