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Acrylamide Mitigation Risk Assessment

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Andy_Yellows

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Posted 20 February 2018 - 01:39 PM

Hi all,

 

I've been asked by a customer to put together a risk assessment relating to the imminent introduction of acrylamide mitigation legislation (http://eur-lex.europ...17R2158&from=EN) but I'm not entirely sure how relevant it all is to us.

 

We supply commercial kitchens (hotels, pubs etc). Part of our range produced is chips, although there is no heat treatment undertaken by ourselves, we just take the potatoes from storage, peel them, cut them into the chip shape and pack them as they are. So the parts of the regulation about testing for reducing sugars, documenting how suitable varieties of potato are selected etc. don't seem relevant to us as we aren't cooking them. The part about storing potatoes >6°C is the only bit that really seems relevant. Until now we haven't had cooking instructions on the labels but this may be something we need to start doing.

 

Can anyone clarify which parts of the legislation apply to us as a business that just cuts the potatoes to shape?

 

Regards,

 

Andy


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GMO

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Posted 20 February 2018 - 05:55 PM

I don't know the specific legislation but I would say from a HACCP point of view, you have to consider how your customer is going to use the product and while their HACCP plan should cover that, it's not going to be fabulous in any kind of catering setting.  I would say potato selection is relevant as you know the potatoes will be fried.  The more difficult thing is that reducing sugars will vary by storage time and method presumably.

 

Anyone an expert in this area?



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Andy_Yellows

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Posted 21 February 2018 - 10:02 AM

You're probably right, GMO. Looks like the reducing sugar tests will need to be carried out on arrival into the premises at the start of each day because, as you say, the reducing sugar levels will vary based on how long the potatoes have been stored and depending on the conditions. I've spent the morning looking at methods for conducting these tests and it all looks very scientific (Bunsen burners and peculiar chemical solutions etc).. Does anyone know a slightly more straightforward way of testing for these reducing sugars?


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GMO

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Posted 21 February 2018 - 03:02 PM

There's an interesting bit in the legislation:

 

1. Potatoes shall be tested for reducing sugars prior to use. This can be done by fry testing using colours as an indicator of potential high reducing sugar content: indicative fry testing 20-25 centre strips, which are fried to evaluate frying colours of the potato strips against the colour specification using a USDA Munsell colour chart or calibrated company-specific charts for small operators. Alternatively the overall finished frying colour can be measured by specific equipment (e.g. Agtron).

 

Perhaps you could test fry them?



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GMO

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Posted 21 February 2018 - 03:45 PM

Actually reading on there is some really good guidance they tell you to instruct the end user with.  Is it worth paraphrasing this for pack or putting a reference on pack to online instructions and explain why?

 

2. FBOs shall recommend the end users in particular to:

— keep the temperature between 160 and 175 °C when frying, and 180-220 °C when using an oven. Lower temperature can be used when the fan is switched on;

— Preheat the cooking device (e.g. oven, air fryer) to correct temperature between 180 and 220 °C according to on-pack cooking instructions, depending on the products specifications and local requirements; — cook potatoes until a golden yellow colour;

— do not overcook;

— turn oven products after 10 minutes or halfway through the total cooking time;

— follow the recommended cooking instructions, as provided by the manufacturer;

— when preparing smaller quantities of potatoes than indicated on pack, reduce the cooking time, to avoid excessive browning of the product;

— do not overfill the frying basket; fill your basket up to the halfway mark to avoid excessive oil uptake by extended frying times.



Andy_Yellows

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Posted 22 February 2018 - 08:28 AM

Actually reading on there is some really good guidance they tell you to instruct the end user with.  Is it worth paraphrasing this for pack or putting a reference on pack to online instructions and explain why?

We don't currently have the facilities to test cook products unfortunately. Do you think paraphrasing/referencing these guidelines would be enough to satisfy the regulation?


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Andy_Yellows

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Posted 22 February 2018 - 08:29 AM

We don't currently have the facilities to test cook products unfortunately.

Not without taking it all home, anyway!


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GMO

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Posted 22 February 2018 - 11:47 AM

We don't currently have the facilities to test cook products unfortunately. Do you think paraphrasing/referencing these guidelines would be enough to satisfy the regulation?

 

Possibly, I think the onus does lay more with the customer but storage above 6 degrees I think is also recommended.  The idea of the legislation as I read it is that it's not meant as something which will lead to penalties and they want to know what mitigations you have put in place to prevent acrylamide.  So for you, you could have storage temperature, perhaps rejection of damaged potatoes, removal of fines (which could overcook in the customers fryers) and provision of cooking advice for the customers.  To me that seems reasonable but I'm no expert.  Anyone an expert out there???



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Posted 24 February 2018 - 02:30 PM

Hi,

 

have a look into the scope (Art. 1) - manufactuerer of equipment are not covered by regulation 2017/2158.

 

-> Food Business Operator

 

Rgds

moskito



Andy_Yellows

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Posted 26 February 2018 - 08:42 AM

Hi moskito, 

 

I'm not quite sure what you mean. We don't manufacture equipment, we cut french fries (among other products) in their rawest form which is where our questions come from.

 

Regards,

 

Andy


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