NEWS OF THE WEEK FOOD
SAFETY
ACRYLAMIDE WORRIES EXPERTS How it gets there and what risks it may present are unanswered questions
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UBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS,
convened recently by two international health and safety organizations, concluded that the issue of acrylamide in food is a major concern. Howev er, not enough research has yet been done to determine exactly how the acrylamide is formed, how quickly the body breaks it down, or how much risk it poses. Acrylamide is a neurotoxin in humans, a known carcinogen in rats, and a probable carcinogen in humans. It was recently dis covered that the compound can be formed when starchy foods are cooked at high heat, particularly when they are fried (C&EN, May 13, page 33). O n June 25-27, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Food & Agri culture Organization held a meet ing of 23 experts in Geneva to dis cuss scientific findings and plan additional research. "Our current limited knowledge does not allow us to answer all the questions which have been asked by con sumers, regulators, and other in terested parties," says Dieter Arnold of Germany's Federal In stitute for Health Protection of Consumers & Veterinary Medi cine. Arnold chaired the meeting. Scientists at Sweden's Nation al Food Administration and the University of Stockholm were the first to discover acrylamide in cooked starchy foods. They found that acrylamide levels in potato chips, french fries, cook ies, processed cereals, and bread are often hundreds of times high er than the maximum level, 0.5 μg per L, considered safe for drinking water by W H O and the HTTP://PUBS.ACS.ORG/CEN
U.S. EPA. The highest levels were found in potato chips (a median of 1,200 ppb) and french fries (450 ppb). Subsequent studies on a few hundred food samples in Norway Switzerland, the U.K., and the U.S. confirmed the results. W H O estimates that the total intake of acrylamide from the av erage Western diet and other sources such as cosmetics and cig arette smoke is about 70 μg per day for an adult, "a range signifi cantly below that which is known to cause nerve damage in labora tory animals." There are other carcinogens in food with similar potency, such
as the aromatic hydrocarbons formed when meat is grilled or fried. But W H O estimates that the intake of acrylamide from the average Western diet is likely higher than that of such aromat ic hydrocarbons. The U.S. FDAhas devel oped and made available on its website its own methodology to use in testing for acryl amide. It is current ly analyzing several different foods for acrylamide. 'At present, the da ta on acrylamide are not sufficient for FDA to make a final determination regarding the public health im pact of these preliminary find ings," says FDA Deputy Com missioner Lester M. Crawford Jr. The agency has not altered its cur rent dietary recommendations, but as further data are received, "FDA's recommendations could change,"hesays.-BETTE HILEMAN
WARNING Presence of acrylamide in fried starchy foods may be hazardous to your health.
DISSENTING
Heyman Assails Hercules' Actions amuel J. Heyman, who Is chairman of International Specialty Products, and three other minority Hercules directors are roundly criticizing actions taken by the Wilmington, Del-company during the past year, including the sale of BetzDearborn to General Electric, cuts in R&D and capital spending, and compensation paid to company executives. They al so deplored Hercules* finan cial performance. In a statement delivered by Heyman after Hercules' annual meeting, the four minority memberselected to the board last year following a Heyman-led proxy fightwere especially critical of the BetzDearborn sale, say ing: T h e company chose to sell its best business at the worst possible time. The sale Heyman
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was made at a time when forward operating profits for the business were estimated to in crease substantially as a result of cost reduc tions already implemented." For his part, Hercules CEO William H. Joyce told the annual meeting, "We will end 2002 with most of our past obligations set tled and on a clear path to shareholder gain and business success/' As to Heyman's remarks, after the meet ing Joyce said, "I do not believe it is necessary or appropriate to rebut each of the points Sam Heyman tried to make. Clearly, ! disagree with what he had to say... t believed at the time, and t am even more firmly convinced to day, that this opposition was just plain wrong. The sate of BetzDearborn was an excellent transaction for Hercules, and it clearly served the interests of our shareholders/'-WlLUAM STORCK
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