Royal DSM : DSM introduces PreventASe® XR to extend use of enzymatic acrylamide-reduction solution to more snacks and baked goods

Global awareness about acrylamide is on the rise. Acrylamide is a suspected carcinogenic substance formed in foods containing reducing sugars which are processed at a high temperature. Food manufacturers are acting fast to reduce acrylamide in their products, but face a challenge to deliver acrylamide-reduced versions of their products with the same taste and texture their consumers know and love. 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.

'The global conversation about acrylamide is heating up, and DSM is working with our customers to address this challenge for the food industry,' says Fokke van den Berg, Business Director for Baking at DSM. 'An advantage of using asparaginase to tackle acrylamide is it requires negligible changes to a product recipe or production process. With PreventASe® and now PreventASe® XR, DSM is enabling acrylamide reduction in the widest range of snacks and baked goods.'

Manufacturers face challenges in reducing acrylamide levels in applications that contain ingredients like chemical leavening agents or masa (corn which has undergone a lime treatment) such as savory crackers, biscuits, tortilla chips, and corn chips, and are therefore more alkaline (up to pH 9). A higher-pH can limit the effectiveness of asparaginases currently available on the market. PreventASe® XR is ideal for more alkaline applications, delivering significant reductions in acrylamide levels of up to 95%, depending on the application.

PreventASe® XR has been nominated for the 2018 Ringier Technology Innovation Award in the food technology category. Winners will be announced on July 11 at Food Ingredients Asia in Shanghai, China.

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Royal DSM is a purpose-led global science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living. DSM is driving economic prosperity, environmental progress and social advances to create sustainable value for all stakeholders. DSM delivers innovative business solutions for human nutrition, animal nutrition, personal care and aroma, medical devices, green products and applications, and new mobility and connectivity. DSM and its associated companies deliver annual net sales of about €10 billion with approximately 23,000 employees. The company is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. More information can be found at www.dsm.com.