Plenary Session: Objection pursuant to Rule 112(2) and (3), and (4)(c): Maximum levels of acrylamide in certain foodstuffs for infants and young children

Objection pursuant to Rule 112(2) and (3), and (4)(c): Maximum levels of acrylamide in certain foodstuffs for infants and young children (B9-0311/2020)

Acrylamide is a chemical compound present in a wide variety of everyday foods and is formed during high temperature processing, such as during frying, toasting and roasting, and it is a known carcinogen.

Currently, maximum acceptable levels of acrylamide in food are not set: there is only a requirement for food business operators to apply mitigation measures and reduce their levels, in order to ensure that acrylamide levels remain below certain 'levels of reference'.

The Commission proposed, then, to set maximum levels for acrylamide for only two very specific categories of food, namely for ‘biscuits and rusks for infants and young children' and for 'baby foods, processed cereal-based foods for infants and young children, excluding biscuits and rusks'.

Therefore, I voted in favour of the resolution, set forth by the Greens/EFA, which demonstrates opposition to the measures proposed by the Commission, on the grounds that they are not compatible with the aim or content of the original legislative act, which indicates that contamination levels should be kept as low as reasonably possible. I consider the maximum levels proposed very high.

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