EFSA updates data on furan in food
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has issued a report updating results of monitoring on the levels of furan found in food. In order to allow a better estimate of dietary exposure For the purposes of risk assessment, measurement of the amount of a substance consumed by a person or animal in their diet that is intentionally added or unintentionally present (e.g. a nutrient, additive or pesticide). to furan, the European Commission asks that Member States collect data on furan levels in heat-treated commercial food products. A first report on these findings was published by EFSA in 2009 and the current update brings additional data to the compilation.
Furan is an organic compound Chemical containing carbon; often derived from plants, animals or bacteria. formed during heat-treatment which has been shown to be carcinogenic in animal laboratory studies.
Altogether, seventeen Member States and Norway submitted to EFSA’s Data Collection and Exposure Concentration or amount of a particular substance that is taken in by an individual, population or ecosystem in a specific frequency over a certain amount of time. unit (DATEX) the analytical results for a total of 4,186 food samples collected between 2004 and 2009. The data show that furan occurs in a variety of heat-treated foods, in particular coffee and canned products, including jarred baby food.
EFSA recommends that future testing for furan should target products on which there are limited data and that tests should also provide a detailed analysis of samples before and after cooking, with a precise indication of cooking time, temperature and handling.
EFSA specifies that the reduction of furan formation in food seems to be more challenging compared to other process contaminants, such as acrylamide, since furan formation is closely connected with the taste and smell of foods. EFSA adds that a comprehensive risk assessment A specialised field of applied science that involves reviewing scientific data and studies in order to evaluate risks associated with certain hazards. It involves four steps: hazard identification, hazard characterisation, exposure assessment and risk characterisation. will require more detailed exposure assessment One of the key steps in risk assessment, this relates to a thorough evaluation of who, or what, has been exposed to a hazard and a quantification of the amounts involved. data, as well as better information on the toxicity The potential of a substance to cause harm to a living organism. of furan.
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