PreventASe™(1), DSM Food Specialties’ enzyme preparation developed to mitigate acrylamide formation in baked products, has gained regulatory approval in Singapore. The request was successfully submitted to the Food Control Division, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore. In addition, the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport has amended the Commodities Act relating to Bread and Flour to include PreventASe for use as a baking enzyme, thereby enabling its use in the intended food applications in the Netherlands. Other recent approvals have cleared DSM Food Specialties’ product for use in the US, Australia, New Zealand, France, Switzerland, Denmark, Mexico and Russia. The growing number of regulatory approvals for PreventASe demonstrates its international recognition as a safe and effective acrylamide-lowering tool.

A so-called “asparaginise enzyme preparation” derived from the Aspergillus niger micro-organism, PreventASe converts one of the precursors of acrylamide, asparagine, into another naturally occurring amino acid, aspartate. As a result, asparagine is no longer available to take part in the chemical reaction that forms acrylamide during the heating of products such as bread, biscuits, crackers, processed potato products and cereals.

Ruth Donners, Business Manager PreventASe, DSM Food Specialties, commented: “These two, high-profile approvals are excellent news for PreventASe and for the food industry as a whole. The green light for its use in both Singapore and the Netherlands further extends its global reach and means that manufacturers in both regions can benefit from our valuable acrylamide mitigation technology.”

“The PreventASe range can be tailor-made to individual customer requirements, taking into account their unique products and manufacturing processes. With the portfolio now extending to all bakery products affected by acrylamide formation during heating, we are confident that we can offer the highest quality support to manufacturers across the world.”

More information about PreventASe can be found at www.preventase.com

(1) PreventASe™ is a trademark of Royal DSM N.V.