Global awareness of acrylamide is on the rise. Not without reason: Acrylamide is a suspected carcinogenic substance formed in foods containing reducing sugars which are processed at a high temperature. In response to this, DSM has launched PreventASe XR, an enzymatic solution that prevents the formation of acrylamide in high-pH applications such as corn chips, biscuits, and crackers.

PreventASe is positioned as a trusted acrylamide-reduction solution proven to reduce acrylamide in processed foods by up to 95 %. While PreventASe is suitable for a broad range of applications, the new PreventASe XR is optimized for higher-pH applications.

In April 2018, new EU acrylamide legislation came into force concerning the amount of acrylamide in foods with “benchmark” levels being set for various products. The introduction of the new EU regulation concerning acrylamide levels in food has given added impetus for manufacturers to mitigate the substance in their products.

Food manufacturers are acting fast to reduce acrylamide in their products, but face challenges in delivering acrylamide-reduced versions of their products with the same taste and texture that their consumers know and trust. DSM’s PreventASe and PreventASe XR are asparaginases that convert free asparagine present in many foods, thereby preventing the formation of acrylamide without impacting taste, texture or shelf-life.