European Commission to Vote Regulation on Acrylamide Next Year
A vote on the European Commission’s draft regulation on acrylamide will take place next year.
Some scientists and NGOs claim that the Commission’s proposal does not effectively protect consumers’ safety, while the food industry believes it is a step in the right direction, according to EurActiv.com. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) last year (June 2015) noted that that acrylamide was a “public health concern as it potentially increases the risk of developing cancer in consumers of all ages”.
It is also categorized an “extremely hazardous substance” by the US Environmental Protection Agency. At anevent organized last month by the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), Camille Perrin, senior food policy officer at the European Consumer Organization (BEUC) cited lab tests suggesting that acrylamide causes cancer in animals.
In addition to cancer risk for consumers, Perrin stressed that other possible but less likely consequences were “damage to the nervous and reproductive systems”.
The EU executive declared its intention to adopt binding measures to tackle acrylamide in food on October 25. The decision was expected to be taken at the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food, and Feed, an expert group made up of member state representatives, which assists the Commission on decisions of a scientific nature.
