• Business guidance

Acrylamide in food guidelines

Guidelines for local authorities about acrylamide in food

Content: Business guidance

Published by:

  • Food Standards Scotland

Compliance

The purpose of the Regulation is to promote and support best practice in managing acrylamide as a food safety hazard. 
FBOs are required to:

  • implement the relevant measures listed in the Annexes to the Regulation within reason as part of their HACCP-based FSMS
  • provide evidence to demonstrate that the appropriate HACCP-based FSMS are in place to ensure the relevant mitigation measures have been implemented

In practice, compliance means: 

  • obtaining assurance that the FBO understands how acrylamide is formed in the food they produce;
  • confirming evidence of documented procedures that demonstrate how the business has put in place relevant mitigation measures as part of their HACCP-based FSMS
  • evidence that these procedures are followed, and that they are reviewed and 
    updated where necessary
  • for manufacturers; evidence of how the food business controls the presence of acrylamide, such as sampling and analysis of products/product types

Record keeping

FBOs referred to in Articles 2(1) and 2(3) are required to document and maintain suitable records in order to demonstrate that the relevant mitigation measures have been applied per product or product group, as part of their HACCP-based FSMS, to reduce the levels of acrylamide.

The documents should show:

  • how the FBO has applied the relevant mitigation measures, including the main procedures or methods used in the business to mitigate acrylamide formation
  • how the FBO has selected the mitigation measures
  • the sampling plan, evidence of review, where appropriate, and the results of analytical testing undertaken

Food businesses referred to in Article 2(2) are required to maintain evidence that mitigation measures are being applied in their premises and/or to the products they produce. This should be incorporated into their HACCP-based FSMS. This could include SOPs, manufacturers’ instructions, colour charts/guides and/or procedures based on best practice industry guidance to demonstrate their due diligence in fulfilling their obligations to identify and implement mitigation measures to reduce the levels of acrylamide in food.

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