The voice of the European food and drink industry Acrylamide in Bread Routes for intervention? Gareth Edwards

The voice of the European food and drink industry What is Bread? Huge differences between types of bread across EU countries: –Mainly white wheat breads in UK and France –Dark rye breads in Scandinavia and Central Europe –Mixed base in Germany: predominantly wholegrain products –Wide range of sizes, shapes and baking conditions

The voice of the European food and drink industry Reaction Parameters Predominantly reaction between asparagine and reducing sugars –Asparagine level is usually the controlling factor –Influence of raising agents, e.g., Ammonium bicarbonate? High temperature and low moisture promote formation in crust but not in crumb.

The voice of the European food and drink industry Fermentation Yeast fermentation of dough can help to reduce asparagine levels by >90% (depending on proof time and yeast type) Reduced asparagine levels are closely translated into lower acrylamide formation

The voice of the European food and drink industry Distribution of Acrylamide Highest AA concentration in the outermost layer of the crust Moderate concentrations in lower part of crust Very low levels in the crumb “Lidding” of the loaf during baking can reduce AA formation by increasing moisture in the surrounding atmosphere, but Crust quality is changed, which affects product characteristics and consumer acceptance

The voice of the European food and drink industry Toasting Significant increase in AA levels by toasting, with clear time/temperature dependence Bread should be toasted to light colours, and burning should be avoided

The voice of the European food and drink industry Effect of Toasting Time

The voice of the European food and drink industry Risk/Benefit? Lower protein (asparagine) content of bread is associated with lower acrylamide. Choice between white bread with low AA levels and wholegrain breads with comparatively higher AA levels but additional nutritional benefits, e.g., more fibre Overall, levels of Acrylamide (AA) in bread are at the lower end of the range