Food manufacturers and bakeries are being urged to prepare for tighter European rules on acrylamide, with the European Commission expected to introduce new requirements covering maximum levels and reference values for a range of products.

The development could have particular implications for the bakery sector. While the precise products and limits have yet to be confirmed, the Dutch Bakery Centre (NBC) says it expects concrete regulatory requirements to emerge for bakery products.

From guidance to tighter limits

Under the current EU framework, there are no legal maximum limits for acrylamide in bakery products. Instead, Regulation (EU) 2017/2158 requires businesses to take measures to reduce its formation as far as reasonably achievable.

That position is now expected to change.

The European Commission has been collecting acrylamide measurement data since 2019, providing a substantial evidence base from the period following implementation of the existing regulation. The Commission has not yet confirmed which products will be subject to binding maximum levels, which will receive reference values, or how stringent the new values will be.

For manufacturers, however, the direction of travel is clear: acrylamide control is likely to move closer to measurable regulatory limits.

How will the new values work?

The Commission has indicated that reference values will be set so that around 80–85% of measured results fall below the value. For statutory maximum levels, the aim is for at least 95% of measurements to be below the limit.

There will also be greater clarity around product definitions, helping manufacturers determine which regulatory category their products fall into. Measurement uncertainty will be treated differently depending on whether a reference value or binding maximum level is being assessed.

Bakery processes under the spotlight

Acrylamide is formed when certain foods are heated and is associated with particular concern because of its potential long-term health effects. The risk means controlling its formation has become an established food-safety priority.

For bakery manufacturers, products including speculaas, kruidnoten, ontbijtkoek and eierkoeken are considered more prone to acrylamide formation. Process and formulation choices can have a significant influence on final levels.

Variables include the type of raising agent, baking time and temperature, the use of the enzyme asparaginase, and ingredients such as malt and sugars.

Manufacturers should prepare now

Although the final requirements are not yet known, the forthcoming changes give manufacturers a reason to review their existing acrylamide controls rather than wait for the legislation to take effect.

For products already identified as higher risk, manufacturers can examine formulation, baking profiles and ingredient selection, while ensuring that monitoring provides reliable data on current performance.

The precise regulatory impact will only become clear when the European Commission publishes the details of the new values. But with the Commission’s work already under way, acrylamide is set to become an increasingly important compliance consideration for food and bakery manufacturers.