EFSA publishes positive scientific opinion on Kerry’s Acrylerase, a first-of-its-kind enzyme to reduce acrylamide in instant coffee and coffee substitutes

Kerry, a global leader in taste and nutrition, has announced that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a positive scientific opinion on Acrylerase, its novel amidase food enzyme designed to significantly reduce acrylamide in coffee extracts used to manufacture instant coffee and coffee substitutes.

The opinion comes at a time of increased EU focus on acrylamide in coffee products. Acrylamide is a process-related contaminant formed naturally during high-temperature processing such as roasting and, in the EU, is treated as a substance of concern due to its genotoxic and carcinogenic properties. Under Regulation (EU) 2017/2158, food business operators are required to apply mitigation measures in line with the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle and monitor acrylamide levels against benchmark values, increasing demand for effective and practical solutions.

Acrylerase is the first commercially available food enzyme designed to directly decompose acrylamide after it has formed, rather than reducing its formation indirectly through process modifications. As the first scientific assessment of an amidase for hydrolyzing acrylamide in coffee extracts and coffee substitutes for this purpose, EFSA’s opinion marks an important advance in acrylamide mitigation under one of the world’s most rigorous regulatory systems.

EFSA positive conclusion on Acrylerase for intended use

EFSA’s positive scientific opinion confirms the safety of Acrylerase for its intended use in coffee extracts for instant coffee and coffee substitutes. As the first scientific assessment of an amidase for hydrolyzing acrylamide in these applications, the opinion represents an important regulatory milestone and provides manufacturers with greater confidence in adopting a targeted acrylamide-mitigation solution within the EU framework.

“A positive EFSA opinion is a significant milestone for Acrylerase and for manufacturers evaluating new ways to mitigate acrylamide,” said Yasemin Koybasi, Global Regulatory Director at Kerry. “It reflects the rigor of the EU food enzyme evaluation process and provides important reassurance on the safety of Acrylerase for its intended applications.”

Direct reduction without compromising quality

Unlike conventional mitigation strategies that focus on precursor reduction or process adjustments, Acrylerase directly decomposes acrylamide during processing, giving manufacturers an additional intervention point without requiring changes to established recipes or operating parameters.

• Up to 90% reduction in acrylamide levels under relevant processing conditions, outperforming conventional mitigation strategies
• No impact on taste, aroma or product yield under the intended conditions of use
• Designed for integration into existing industrial coffee-processing workflows, supporting manufacturing continuity

Strengthening Kerry’s leadership in food enzymes

The EFSA scientific opinion further strengthens Kerry’s position in food enzyme innovation. The amidase expands Kerry’s portfolio of enzymatic technologies designed to help customers address food safety, product quality and regulatory challenges across multiple categories.

“This milestone demonstrates how targeted enzyme innovation can help solve real-world manufacturing and food safety challenges,” said Ronan Moloney, Vice President of Enzymes at Kerry. “Acrylerase delivers measurable value for customers while supporting compliance with increasingly complex regulatory requirements.”

Collaboration with ANKA: combining enzyme science and coffee expertise

Acrylerase was developed in close collaboration with ANKA, a globally recognized specialist in coffee processing technologies. ANKA’s expertise in coffee chemistry, roasting dynamics and industrial applications helped translate enzyme innovation into a practical, scalable solution for the coffee industry. The partnership highlights the value of combining enzyme science with deep category expertise to deliver advances in food technology, safety and sustainability.

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