Partnership launches acrylamide-reducing enzyme

Kerry signed a license agreement with Renaissance BioScience Corp to supply Renaissance’s Acryleast, a non-GMO acrylamide-reducing yeast enzyme, to food and beverage manufacturers, starting in 2019.

Acryleast is a natural, non-GMO yeast enzyme that reduces acrylamide in a range of food and beverage products, including biscuits, crackers, French fries, potato crisps, coffee, infant food and more. This solution has no or minimal changes to manufacturing processes and no impact on flavour, aroma and texture.

Acrylamide is a chemical that occur in foods that are deep-fried or heated to a high temperature; There is a concern that acrylamide might be carcinogenic (i.e. might be linked to causing cancer.)

This license agreement is timely, given new EU acrylamide regulations, which came into effect in April 2018, and California’s Proposition 65, which requires “potentially harmful” warning labels relating to acrylamide (on food and beverage packaging or in food outlets.)

Mike Woulfe, VP Business Development Enzymes, at Kerry commented in a press release, “We are delighted to announce Kerry’s partnership with Renaissance, an innovative life science company. Their non-GMO approach to acrylamide reduction fits very well with our clean-label strategy. We look forward to bringing this effective solution for acrylamide reduction of up to 90 per cent, to food producers around the globe.”

Dr. Cormac O’Cleirigh, Chief Business Development Officer at Renaissance BioScience Corp added: “Kerry is a world leader in the food and beverage industry and are an ideal partner for us to globalize Acryleast, our non-GMO acrylamide-reducing yeast enzyme. As anticipated, there has been very high interest from food manufacturers globally for Acryleast, given changing regulations and consumer pressure. We look forward to working with Kerry and leveraging their extensive global footprint to bring Acryleast to even more customers.”