Symposium Achieves Milestones in Minimizing Esters
An international symposium in Berlin reviewed progress and ongoing challenges in minimizing 3-MCPD and glycidyl esters in foods. Significant advances in analysis and mitigation strategies were noted.
Berlin, June 26, 2017 – Over 200 participants from the food industry, scientific community, and regulatory bodies across 30 countries gathered in Berlin on June 20-21, 2017, for a symposium titled "MCPD Esters and Glycidyl Esters Analytics, Toxicology, Risk Assessment, Mitigation – Where we are today?". The event provided an assessment of the current situation and facilitated an exchange of information on new results and developments concerning unwanted fatty acid esters in food.
The symposium highlighted that ten years after the initial scientific detection of these compounds, important milestones have been achieved in analytics, toxicology, and mitigation. It also underscored that despite intensive research, not all challenges have been satisfactorily resolved. The event was organized by the German Society for Fat Science (DGF) with significant support from OVID Verband der ölsaatenverarbeitenden Industrie in Deutschland and the Federation for Food Law and Food Science (BLL).
Key outcomes included the global adoption of three officially recognized AOCS analytical methods for 3-MCPD and glycidyl esters, enhancing data comparability. Dr. Bertrand Matthäus of the Max Rubner Institute and a board member of DGF stated that knowledge of the formation pathways for these esters has advanced, enabling more targeted development of minimization strategies throughout the production chain. The "BLL-toolbox" presented by BLL garnered significant interest and is already in practical use for reducing ester content in products.
The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) announced plans to develop a Code of Practice by 2019 to reduce the formation of MCPD and glycidyl esters in palm oil. Gerhard Brankatschk of OVID described this as a crucial step for consumer protection. The symposium also clarified aspects of risk assessment, particularly the differing tolerable daily intake (TDI) values established by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the joint FAO/WHO expert committee (JECFA), attributed to distinct calculation models. EFSA is currently reviewing its TDI assessment.