Food Processing & Technology

Glycerol based process contaminants are commonly found in oils, margarine and in most of the processed foods. These carcinogenic contaminants including 3- and 2- monochloropropanediol (MCPD) and their fatty acid esters have been detected in high quantities in many kids’ products including the infant formulas. These findings let the European Food safety Authority’s (EFSA’s) Panel on contaminants in food chain (CONTAM) to issue a scientific opinion on assessing the human health risk of free and esterified 2 & 3- MCPD in food. The scientific group declared that in addition to palm and vegetable oils, margarine and infant formula, these food contaminant carcinogens may also be present in cookies, pastries and cakes, fried or baked potato products, fried or roast meat and chocolate spreads. Following this, the European Commission, Joint Research Center has come up with a robust and efficient analytical method for the simultaneous determination of these carcinogenic food contaminants. This talk aims to illustrate the rationality of implementing these analytical methods to any organization in the food chain industry, of any country, in order to set goals for food safety. It’s high time for all the stakeholders in food safety to ensure a secure and safe supply of food for their populace.