Separate pamphlets deal with reducing levels of the potential carcenogen in biscuits, crackers and crispbreads, breads, breakfast cereals and fried potato products such as crisps and french fries.
The acrylamide pamphlets are targeted at the EU's small and medium sized companies, which may not have the necessary resources to adequately research methods developed by their larger competitors.
The pamphlets outline successfully tested methods as well as a step-by-step approach on how to implement them. The methods were collected by the Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the European Union (CIAA) and national regulators.
The CIAA is at the forefront of helping members reduce acrylamide. The organisation formed an expert group in 2003 to share research and disseminate information. The group first created the "Acrylamide Toolbox", a document that provides operators with various information needed to reduce acrylamide in foods.
The document is updated on a continuous basis as science progresses.
The new acrylamide pamphlets are part of the effort to make such tools easily implementable by SMEs throughout Europe, the CIAA stated. The pamphlets are available in 20 languages on the European Commission website.
"Individual operators can use the tools outlined in the pamphlets to adapt their unique production systems," the CIAA stated.
This year the European Commission called on member states to check annually whether acrylamide levels are falling, serving to put additional pressure on processors to reduce the chemical in their products.
In an official notice the Commission noted that industry had already taken extensive voluntary efforts since 2002 to reduce the levels of the potential carconigen in processed foods.
Tthe Commission wants to collect reliable data on acrylamide levels in food over at least a three-year time span across the bloc in order to get a clear picture of the levels in foodstuffs.
The data will be collected on foods known to contain high acrylamide levels and that contribute significantly to the dietary intake of the whole population and of specific
vulnerable groups, such as infants and young children.
The Commission is asking member states to perform the surveys annually in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
In 2005, EFSA endorsed a the risk assessment on acrylamide in food, which was carried out by the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Health Organisation.
In that assessment the UN organisations concluded that the margins of exposure for average and high consumers were low for a compound that is genotoxic and carcinogenic and that this factor may indicate a human health concern.
"Therefore, appropriate efforts to reduce acrylamide concentrations in foodstuffs should continue," the Commission stated.
The chemical is a carcinogen that is created when starchy foods are baked, roasted, fried or toasted.
It first hit the headlines in 2002, when scientists at the Swedish Food Administration first reported unexpectedly high levels of acrylamide in carbohydrate-rich foods. Previous studies have linked the chemical with cancer in laboratory rats.
Since the Swedish discovery a global effort has been underway to amass data about the chemical. More than 200 research projects have been initiated around the world, and their findings coordinated by national governments, the EU and the United Nations.
The new pamphlets are available here: http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/chemicalsafety/contaminants/acrylamide_en.htm.
