Kerry launches next generation of Acrylamide-reducing yeast called Acryleast Pro

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Kerry (Beloit, WA) has released Acryleast Pro, an advanced iteration of the company’s signature acrylamide-reducing non-GMO yeast, Acryleast. Now available in North America, according to Kerry, Acryleast Pro is the only organic-suitable baker’s yeast that effectively reduces levels of acrylamide in a ranger of manufacture and organic food products by up to 90%, delivering 2.2 times more enzyme activity that the previous generation product, making it more effective and cost efficient at lower doses.

Acrylamide is a neurotoxin found to form in a wide range of carbohydrate-rich foods that are heated and cooked (fried, baked, or roasted) at temperatures above 120 degrees Celsius, or 248 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), “Acrylamide is a substance that forms through a natural chemical reaction between sugars and asparagine, an amino acid, in plant-based foods – including potato and cereal-grain-based foods.” Animal studies have shown that acrylamide exposure may lead to higher risk of cancer, but there is no consistent epidemiological evidence on the effect of acrylamide exposure from food on cancer risk in humans. That said, government food safety and health regulators worldwide are concerned about the potential risks of exposure, enacting more stringent benchmarks and allowable limits on acrylamide to reduce exposure.

“Acryleast is already a proven, acrylamide-reducing clean label solution for food manufacturers, and the second-generation Acryleast Pro has now raised the bar even higher by being more than twice as powerful as the original product,” said Daniel Mendoza, Kerry’s business development director, Enzymes, North America, in a press release. “It impressively delivers up to 90% reductions in acrylamide at a lower, more cost-effective dose rate. Food manufacturers are under rising pressure from governments and consumers groups to lower the amount of acrylamide created in their products. Acryleast Pro is now the best, most consistent solution to address this important food industry safety problem without disrupting either the manufacturing process or the ability to offer a clean label. We look forward to partnering with our customer to create new, great-tasting products using this technology.”