They are present every morning on the tables of millions of Italian families, they accompany milk, tea or coffee and are often perceived as a simple, almost harmless food. Breakfast biscuits, however, are not all the same. Putting it down in black and white is the new test published by Il Salvagente, which has sifted through some of the most popular products from large-scale retail trade and historic brands, focusing attention on barely visible but relevant contaminants such as acrylamide and mycotoxins.
The Salvagente test: brands and samples analyzed
The investigation involved 29 biscuits, divided between 13 “white” and 16 wholemeal, belonging to well-known brands such as Mulino Bianco, Saiwa, Doria, Balocco, as well as products under the Esselunga, Coop, Lidl, Conad and Eurospin brands. The analyzes were not limited to the list of ingredients, but looked into the presence of substances that can develop during the production or conservation of the raw materials.
Acrylamide: what it is and why it worries
The data that emerges most forcefully concerns acrylamide. This substance is formed during the high-temperature cooking of starchy foods, such as biscuits, bread, potatoes and coffee, as a by-product of the Maillard reaction, responsible for coloring and crunchiness. The downside is that acrylamide is classified by the WHO IARC as a “probable human carcinogen”.
EFSA recommendations and European thresholds
For years, EFSA has been drawing attention to the need to reduce exposure, especially in products intended for children, who are among the most exposed subjects. The European Union, however, has not set binding legal limits, but only reference values: 350 micrograms per kilo for adults and 150 micrograms per kilo for children up to three years. These are indicative thresholds, which do not entail the withdrawal of products from the market even when those values are approached.
The results on acrylamide concentrations
In the Salvagente test, no sample exceeded the threshold for adults, but several biscuits were dangerously close to that indicated for children. A significant element, considering that the biscuits are consumed by the whole family. The analyses, conducted in the laboratories of the Federico II University of Naples, indicate an average concentration of acrylamide equal to 88.6 micrograms per kilo, a value that complies with European references but which, if added to habitual consumption, raises questions especially for children and adolescents.
Mycotoxins: a more reassuring picture, with some unknowns
On the front of mycotoxins, toxic substances that can develop in cereals due to mold and fungi, the picture appears more reassuring. Deoxynivalenol (Don) and Zearalenone were well below the legal limits in all samples. The issue of so-called emerging toxins, such as Enniatines, is more delicate, for which official regulatory values are still lacking. Some concentrations found are not negligible and suggest the need for more stringent controls and an update of European rules.
Ingredients under observation: fibre, sugars and additives
Il Salvagente also evaluated the overall quality of the recipes, rewarding products richer in fiber and with less sugar. Ingredients such as palm oil, present in some brands and characterized by a high content of saturated fats, glucose-fructose syrup, associated with metabolic problems in children, as well as phosphates and sweeteners such as maltitol, which in high quantities can cause intestinal disorders, end up under observation.
“White” biscuits: the two worst in the test
Coming to the worst results among “white” biscuits, two products close the ranking.
Where to find the complete ranking
For the complete ranking of the biscuits analysed, the reference remains the November issue of Il Salvagente.
