WRITTEN QUESTION E-1404/02 by Jean-Maurice Dehousse (PSE) to the Commission. Presence of acrylamide in foodstuffs.
Date: 2002-05-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Sweden, World Health Organisation, cancer, chemical product, disease prevention, foodstuff, foodstuffs legislation, scientific committee (EU), toxic substance

14.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 277 E/201

The new findings presented in the article in the ‘Journal of Biological Chemistry’ referred to by the
Honourable Member (1) have already been reviewed by the TSE/bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)
ad hoc group of the Scientific Committees and discussed by the Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) at its
meeting on 6 and 7 September 2001. The minutes of this meeting are published at http://europa.eu.int/
comm/food/fs/sc/ssc/out233_en.pdf.

The SSC considered that the authors of the scientific paper in question may have identified an important
phenomenon, but that their work needs to be further pursued, independently verified in other qualified
laboratories, replicated and extended before the results can be considered proven and final conclusions can
be drawn.

Research on Shaked et al suggestion that the detection of UPrPSc can be used to diagnose humans and
animals incubating prion diseases is carried out under the 5th Community Framework programme for
Research and Technological Development (RTD). Following the call for proposals for RTD actions on TSEs
in the Quality of Life Programme (QoL-2001-TSE, closed: 18 October 2001), two projects are under
negotiation, both with components addressing this finding, aiming to develop the diagnosis of human
prion diseases.

The first aims to standardise the detection of abnormal PrP in urine using the capillary electrophoresis
technique and Western blotting. It will also collect samples for others to use for further research. The
second project aims to compare the sensitivity and specificity of new prion detection tests including PrPSc
detection in urine. The latter project includes members of the team who published the above paper.

It is expected that both of these projects will start to provide corroborative data on the findings referred to
by the Honourable Member within the next three years.

For the time being, the SSC considered it premature to revise its opinions with respect to the safety of
animal and human tissues or products. However, the Commission will, with the help of the Scientific
Committees, closely monitor the results of urine infectivity studies related to the Shaked et al research and
take the necessary steps as soon as more consolidated scientific evidence is available.

(1) Shaked et al; A protease-resistant prion protein isoform is present in urine of animals and humans affected with

prion diseases; JBC, Vol. 276, No 34, 24 August 2001, p. 31479-31482.

(2002/C 277 E/222)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1404/02

by Jean-Maurice Dehousse (PSE) to the Commission

(16 May 2002)

Subject: Presence of acrylamide in foodstuffs

On Wednesday, 24 April 2002 a team of researchers at Stockholm University announced that they had
discovered that acrylamide formed when starchy foods were heated to a high temperature. The foodstuffs
in question are basic ones such as bread and biscuits D not to mention cereals and chips which, according
to the research, could contain particularly high levels of acrylamide.
If consumed in large amounts,
acrylamide can affect the nervous system and cause impotence, paralysis and cancer.

This information is in addition to the impact analyses commissioned by the Scientific Committee on
Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment (SCTEE) in order to investigate the presence of acrylamide in the
wastewater treatment cycle. Those analyses, which were presented in October 2000,
indicated that
neurotoxic effects on human beings could not be ruled out.

C 277 E/202

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

In view of the above information and in full awareness of the fact that this does not constitute a new
threat but, rather, the identification of a risk to which people have been exposed for generations (though
bearing in mind that, according to the Swedish authorities, between 200 and 600 new cases of cancer
each year are attributable to acrylamide in Sweden alone), what action does the Commission intend to take
or propose at European level in response to the emergence of this new information?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(21 June 2002)

On 24 April 2002, the Swedish National Food Administration made public new findings on acrylamide in
foods. High levels were detected in carbohydrate-rich foods produced using high temperatures, particularly
frying and baking processes.

Acrylamide is a known possible cancer-causing chemical, although its formation in food has not been
highlighted before this study. Improvements and new developments in analytical methods have led to this
finding that some cooking practices might cause the formation of acrylamide in food. The mechanism by
which this occurs is not clear.

As for all new scientific developments, the Swedish method must be validated. Nevertheless, on 17 May
2002 the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency published results which confirmed the Swedish
findings. A limited number of samples were tested in both studies and it is clear that this issue must be
further investigated more widely.

The Commission has asked the Member States and representatives of the industry to investigate this issue
and provide information. In parallel, the Commission has taken steps to consult the Scientific Committee
on Food on the scientific aspects of this issue. Furthermore, the Commission is working alongside the
World Health Organisation, which will hold a world-wide expert consultation on this issue at the end of
June 2002.

The Commission is currently exploring how the large-scale ‘European Prospective Investigation of Cancer
and nutrition’ (EPIC) cohort study, which has been co-financed by the Europe against Cancer programme
for more than ten years, could be exploited to answer the question of relative risk towards cancer from
acrylamide in food. EPIC is co-ordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the
World Health Organisation. The study includes approximately 500 000 European participants from nine
Member States and Norway. Twenty-four different research centres follow the nutritional habits of the
participants, preceding the later occurrence of cancer. This is an ideal frame in which to address the
question of a so far unreported risk towards cancer from acrylamide in food.

Under the Commission’s current Framework research programme, there are no European collaborative
projects on acrylamide in food. If necessary, the call for proposals for the new Framework research
programme could include topics on this subject.

The available information is clearly limited at this stage. A provisional assessment will help determine the
extent of risk that might be posed by this newly identified issue.

(2002/C 277 E/223)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1405/02

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(13 May 2002)

Subject: Privatisation of ABX, the Belgian Railways (NMBS/SNCB) road freight company

In the context of the restructuring of Belgian Railways (NMBS/SNCB), ABX, the Belgian Railways’ loss-
making road freight company, which also has branches in other countries, is to be privatised. According to