Prep publishes insight paper to help businesses comply with new food safety law

Prep, the high performance frying oil brand, has prepared an insight paper to help food businesses comply with new food safety laws in relation to Acrylamide.

The paper, Acrylamide in food: Understanding the law, minimising the risks, has been published online to coincide with the new legislation that came into effect on 11th April 2018.

The European legislation requires all businesses that manufacture food, or prepare and serve it to customers, to understand the potential risk of acrylamide, take steps to reduce it and be able to prove that they have done so.

Acrylamide forms naturally in foods when amino acids and sugars react during the cooking process. It occurs typically - but not exclusively - when foods with a high starch content, such as potatoes and bread, are fried, roasted or baked. It is also present in coffee, forming when the beans are roasted.

Olivia Shuttleworth, brand manager for Prep, says businesses need straightforward, realistic advice for complying with the new legislation.

“Over the past few months we have had lots of enquiries from our customers, many of whom were worried about the implications of the new legislation. What became clear is that there was a need for a clear, plain-language summary that spells out how the new law affects businesses that make, prepare or serve food, and what food operators need to do to meet the requirements of the law.

“Our Prep insight paper has been developed to serve that purpose. It explains the law, the reasons for the new legislation, information about acrylamide and how it forms, and it offers guidance on what businesses must do and how they should go about it.

“Many businesses will already be carrying out many of the steps they need to take to comply with the new law, as they concern food quality and good kitchen practices, such as oil management techniques.

“Ultimately, this is an opportunity for food businesses to demonstrate their understanding of food safety and its positive impact on quality.”

Prep’s insight paper, Acrylamide in Food: Understanding the law, minimising the risks, is available to download now.

It relates to the Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/2158 of 20 November 2017: Establishing mitigation measures and benchmark levels for the reduction of the presence of acrylamide in food, which comes into effect in all EU member states on 11th April.

More details about the legislation are available here: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32017R2158&from=EN