Newberg, OR, March 24, 2008 – PPM Technologies, Inc., a leading supplier to the global food processing industry offered technical support to the Nordic Innovation Centre in development of the NORDACRYL project. The collaboration between enzyme producers, researchers, and industry suppliers was crucial in gaining further knowledge and developing practical solutions to reduce acrylamides.
The awareness of acrylamide content in starch rich foods caused major concerns among consumers, regulators in the food industry and processors and suppliers. The International Agency of Research on Cancer has even classified acrylamide as a probable human carcinogen. The NORDACRYL project was implemented to further understand the impact of acrylamides in food processing. The findings and results of this project were published in August 2007.
PPM AB offered technical assistance on the impacts of blanching and frying systems on the formulation of acrylamides. Apart from the sugar reduction in the base product, the frying conditions greatly impact formulation of acrylamides. A reduction in frying temperature and slightly higher water content of final product contribute to lowering acrylamide values. However, these factors influence the taste, quality and shelf stability of final product.
A more practical solution is to incorporate a blancher to the system. “Our blancher is at present more and more frequently used by our customers,” noted Roland Haraldsson, PPM AB Research Engineer. “Not only for color adjustment but more important as a device to reduce acrylamide formation”.
By blanching product in water for 3 minutes at 80°C with a simultaneous wash out to reduce sugars contributes greatly to the reduction in acrylamide content. In products originating for Scandanavian countries, the acrylamide reduction ranges between 30-40%. The actual degree of acrylamide reduction is directly related to region of potato cultivation.
For more information on the study contact the Nordic Innovative Centre at (www.nordicinnovation.net).
ABOUT PPM TECHNOLOGIES
PPM Technologies headquartered in Newberg, OR USA is a market leader in the global food processing and packaging industry. With close to 100 years of experience and continued release of innovative products, PPM Technologies enhances the performance of food processing lines. From snack foods to meat, seafood and poultry, the company provides advanced technologies to global food processors.
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