Asparaginase in Potato Processing: Improving Acrylamide Control in Potato Products

Asparaginase is an enzyme used in potato processing to reduce acrylamide formation during frying. It breaks down asparagine into non-reactive compounds, improving food safety, maintaining taste and enhancing quality of potato chips and fries.

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Asparaginase: Reducing Acrylamide Formation in Potato Products

Asparaginase is a food-grade enzyme that converts free asparagine into aspartic acid and ammonia, helping reduce acrylamide formation when potatoes are fried or baked at high temperatures, typically above about 120 °C. Reported acrylamide reductions vary by product and treatment conditions, with studies reporting reductions of 34–92% in dough-based products and up to 60% in potato chips following specific treatments.

Acrylamide was first reported in fried and baked foods by Swedish researchers in 2002. Fried potato products are among its important dietary sources, so the potato industry has been at the centre of mitigation work ever since. Regulators in the EU, the US and elsewhere have introduced measures to reduce acrylamide in food.

Asparaginase is a food-grade enzyme that converts free asparagine into aspartic acid and ammonia, helping reduce acrylamide formation when potatoes are fried or baked at temperatures above about 120 °C. Depending on the product and processing conditions, it can reduce acrylamide formation by varying amounts without necessarily affecting the taste or colour of the final product.

Acrylamide was first reported in fried and baked foods by Swedish researchers in 2002. Fried potato products are among the important dietary sources of acrylamide, making its reduction a priority for the potato processing industry. Regulators in the EU, the US and elsewhere have introduced measures to help reduce acrylamide levels in food.

Asparaginase Enzyme for Reducing Acrylamide Formation in Potato Products

What Is Asparaginase?

Definition: Asparaginase (L-asparaginase, enzyme class EC 3.5.1.1) is a hydrolase: an enzyme that uses water to split a chemical bond. It acts on one target only, the free amino acid L-asparagine. Food-grade versions are produced by fermentation, mainly with the moulds Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus niger. Researchers have also tested bacterial asparaginases, for example from Bacillus subtilis.

The same enzyme family is used in medicine to treat acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, but pharmaceutical and food asparaginases are different products, made and regulated separately.

How the enzyme works: Asparaginase binds free asparagine in its active site and cuts the amide group on the amino acid's side chain. It works in water, so it needs moisture and time in contact with the food. It does not touch asparagine that is bound inside proteins and it ignores the other amino acids and sugars that give fried potatoes their flavour.

The reaction: asparagine to aspartic acid and ammonia

Asparaginase catalyzes this reaction:

L-asparagine + H₂O → L-aspartic acid + NH₃

Aspartic acid is a common amino acid found naturally in food and it does not form acrylamide on heating. The ammonia released is tiny in quantity and is lost as gas or bound during cooking. The enzyme itself is a protein, so it is denatured and inactivated by the heat of frying or baking. That is why it is treated as a processing aid, not an additive, in most jurisdictions.

Source	Examples	Main use	Status
Fungal	Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus niger	Food processing (acrylamide reduction)	Commercial; JECFA-evaluated
Bacterial (medical)	Escherichia coli, Erwinia chrysanthemi	Leukaemia treatment	Pharmaceutical only; not used in food
Bacterial (food research)	Bacillus subtilis	Potato chip trials	Research stage
Thermostable	Enzymes from heat-loving microbes such as Pyrococcus and Thermococcus	Working at blanching temperatures	Research stage

Food-grade asparaginase belongs to enzyme class EC 3.5.1.1 and catalyzes the hydrolysis of L-asparagine into L-aspartic acid and ammonia. The reaction requires water, sufficient contact time and suitable temperature and pH conditions. The enzyme acts on L-asparagine and its activity can be reduced or eliminated by high temperature processing, such as frying or baking. Food-grade asparaginase is available in liquid concentrates and granular formulations. Its regulatory classification and permitted use as a processing aid depend on the applicable market and food regulations.

Why Is Asparaginase Important in the Potato Industry?

Free asparagine in potatoes: Asparagine is usually the most abundant free amino acid in the potato tuber and its concentration can differ dramatically between growing sites. Levels vary widely with variety, fertilizer (especially nitrogen), growing season, tuber maturity and storage. Because potatoes also contain the reducing sugars glucose and fructose, every fried or baked potato product carries both ingredients needed to make acrylamide.

Acrylamide formation during high-temperature processing: Acrylamide forms in starchy foods cooked at above about 120 °C with low moisture, as in frying, baking and roasting. It is a by-product of the Maillard reaction, the same chemistry that browns potatoes and creates fried-food flavour. Formation rises sharply as the surface dries and the temperature climbs, so thin, crisp, dark products carry the highest levels.

Why acrylamide reduction matters

Health: the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies acrylamide as "probably carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A). The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded in 2015 that dietary acrylamide raises a potential concern for cancer risk across all age groups.
Regulation: EU Regulation (EU) 2017/2158 obliges potato processors to apply mitigation measures and check results against benchmark levels. Binding maximum levels are now being prepared (see section 10).
Market access and reputation: retailers, quick-service restaurant chains and importers set their own acrylamide specifications. NGO surveys of crisps and fries regularly make headlines.
Legal risk: in the US, California's Proposition 65 led to settlements in 2008 in which major chip and fry makers agreed to cut acrylamide, in some cases by 50%.

Asparaginase matters because it attacks the problem at its source: it removes a precursor before any heat is applied, rather than relying only on lighter frying.

How Does Asparaginase Reduce Acrylamide Formation?

Role of asparagine in acrylamide formation: In the main pathway, free asparagine reacts with a carbonyl compound, usually a reducing sugar such as glucose or fructose. The intermediate breaks down on heating and the asparagine skeleton becomes acrylamide. The carbon backbone and nitrogen of acrylamide come directly from asparagine, which is why no other amino acid can substitute for it in any significant way.

Enzymatic breakdown of free asparagine: Asparaginase converts asparagine into aspartic acid before the product reaches the fryer or oven. Aspartic acid still takes part in ordinary Maillard browning, but it cannot form acrylamide. The enzyme therefore removes the acrylamide route while leaving most colour and flavour chemistry in place.

Without treatment, asparagine and reducing sugars meet in the fryer and form acrylamide; asparaginase converts asparagine first, so the heat finds no precursor to turn into acrylamide.

How Asparaginase Prevents Acrylamide Formation

Relationship between enzyme treatment and acrylamide reduction

More asparagine removed, less acrylamide formed. The relationship is close to proportional when asparagine is the limiting precursor.
In potatoes, sugars often limit the reaction. Reducing sugar is the primary determinant of acrylamide in most potatoes. Rothamsted research found that asparagine starts to limit acrylamide only when the ratio of free asparagine to reducing sugars falls below about 2.26. A partial cut in asparagine may therefore give a smaller acrylamide cut than expected, so the enzyme works best combined with sugar control.
The surface matters most. Acrylamide forms mainly in the dry, hot outer layer of a fry or chip. Removing asparagine from the surface layers can deliver a large share of the benefit, even if the core is untouched.
Contact decides the result. In doughs, the enzyme mixes with all the asparagine. In whole slices and strips, it reaches only what diffuses out of or into, the tissue.

Applications of Asparaginase in Potato Processing

Asparaginase delivers its biggest cuts in dough-based potato products, where it can be mixed in and smaller, less consistent cuts in whole-cut chips and fries, where it must diffuse into solid tissue.

Product	Where the enzyme is applied	Reported acrylamide reduction	Scale and source
Fabricated (dough-based) crisps and snacks	Mixed into the potato dough	Up to 95%	Supplier data, Novonesis
Potato granules (dehydrated)	During mixing and conditioning	Up to 70%	Supplier data, Novonesis
Snack pellets (half-products)	In the dough before extrusion	Up to 60%	Supplier data, Novonesis
French fries	Dip after blanching	60–85%	Laboratory, Hendriksen et al., 2009
French fries	Dip after blanching	35–50%	Industrial trials, Novozymes via PotatoPro, 2012
Chilled French fries	Enzyme step on the production line	Below detection limit (controls 90–124 µg/kg)	Industrial line, Ghent University, 2011
Sliced potato chips	Dip after blanching	About 90%	Laboratory, Pedreschi et al., 2011
Sliced potato chips	Dip after blanching	Up to 60%	Laboratory, Hendriksen et al., 2009

Potato chips and crisps: Sliced chips (crisps) are hard to treat because slices are thin, fried to about 1–2% moisture and leave the slicer at high speed with little time for an enzyme bath. In a Chilean study, blanching alone and enzyme alone each gave only modest cuts, but blanching followed by asparaginase cut acrylamide by almost 90%. The authors concluded that blanching changes the tissue so the enzyme diffuses in more easily. A Japanese study using a Bacillus subtilis asparaginase with vacuum treatment brought chip acrylamide below 20% of untreated levels (PMC, 2015).

French fries: Fries are thicker, so asparagine near the surface is reachable while the core is not. The best-known laboratory result is a 60% cut when blanched strips were soaked in asparaginase solution at 40 °C for 20 minutes (Pedreschi et al., via PotatoPro). Industrial trials have reported 35–50%.

Frozen potato products: Results on frozen par-fried fries are mixed. A Ghent University study found asparaginase ineffective on an industrial frozen par-fry line, despite good laboratory results, but highly effective on a chilled-fries line. The lesson is that line conditions, not the enzyme alone, decide the outcome. Frozen formed products such as hash browns, croquettes and potato smiles behave more like doughs and are easier to treat.

Other potato-based snacks: Stacked crisps, extruded snacks, pellets, potato crackers and products made with potato flakes or granules all suit enzyme treatment. The US FDA's acrylamide guidance lists asparaginase as an option both in flake production and in potato doughs.

Acrylamide Reduction with Asparaginase by Potato Product

How Is Asparaginase Used in Industrial Potato Processing?

The enzyme goes in after any blanching step and before frying or baking, either as a dip or spray for whole cuts or as an ingredient in doughs and mashes.

Enzyme application and treatment stages

Whole-cut products (French fries, sliced chips):

Wash, peel and cut the potatoes.
Blanch the strips or slices. This leaches out some sugar and asparagine, softens the tissue and opens it to the enzyme.
Cool the product to the enzyme's working temperature.
Dip or spray with asparaginase solution, often combined with the existing dip for sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP) or dextrose.
Dry, then par-fry or fry. The heat inactivates the enzyme.
Freeze or package.

Dough-based products (fabricated crisps, pellets, formed products): the enzyme is added with the water when potato flakes or granules are mixed into dough. A short resting or conditioning time lets it work before sheeting, extrusion or forming. For flakes and granules, it is dosed into the mash during manufacture.

In whole-cut lines the enzyme follows blanching; in dough lines it goes in with the mixing water and works during resting.

Treatment conditions: temperature, pH, time and dosage

Parameter	Typical range in published work	Why it matters
Temperature	About 35–60 °C (studies used 37, 40 and 50 °C)	Faster reaction when warmer; too hot denatures the enzyme
pH	Near neutral, about 5–7.5	Each commercial enzyme has its own optimum; check the data sheet
Contact time	About 10–30 minutes for dips; dough resting time for doughs	The main constraint on fast continuous lines
Dose	Product-specific, e.g. 10,000 ASNU per litre in studies on fries and chips	Higher doses help diffusion-limited products but raise cost
Moisture	Enzyme needs free water	Dough water content is a critical parameter

ASNU (asparaginase units) are a supplier defined activity unit. Dose comparisons between suppliers need converting to a common unit.

Integration into existing processing lines

Use the existing dip tank after the blancher, where SAPP or dextrose is already applied, to avoid new equipment.
Size the tank or conveyor to give the required residence time at line speed. This is often the biggest capital question for fry and chip lines.
Control temperature, pH and enzyme concentration in the bath, with regular top-ups as the enzyme is diluted or carried out on the product.
Manage hygiene: a warm, protein and sugar rich bath can support microbial growth, so turnover and cleaning schedules need attention.
For doughs, dose with the process water and allow enough resting time before forming.

Subsequent frying or baking: Frying or baking then proceeds as usual. Because less acrylamide is formed for a given colour, processors gain room to fry to the target colour without exceeding benchmarks. The enzyme has no technological function in the finished product: it is denatured by the heat, though inactive residues can remain. Novonesis states that around 10% of the original enzyme level remains in finished potato granules.

Implementation checklist: from trial to full production

Baseline: measure acrylamide, reducing sugars and if possible, free asparagine in current products across several potato lots.
Choose the enzyme: ask suppliers for activity at your bath or dough temperature and pH, plus approval status in every export market.
Laboratory test: vary dose, temperature and contact time on blanched strips, slices or dough samples.
Pilot trial: reproduce real line speed, dip time, oil temperature and final colour.
Full-line trial: run over several days and potato lots; compare acrylamide, colour, texture and taste against controls.
Set controls: fix critical limits for enzyme concentration, bath temperature, pH, contact time and fry colour.
Validate and document: record results for your food-safety plan, auditors and EU benchmark verification.
Review regularly: recheck when varieties, storage season or suppliers change.

Where Asparaginase Is Added on a Potato Processing Line

Factors Affecting Asparaginase Efficiency

How much acrylamide asparaginase removes depends less on the enzyme than on the potato, the product geometry and how much contact time the line allows.

Potato variety and raw material composition: Varieties differ in free asparagine, reducing sugars, dry matter and cell structure. Processing varieties bred for low sugar give a lower starting point, so the enzyme's percentage cut may look smaller but the final level is lower. Crop year, nitrogen and sulphur nutrition and tuber maturity all shift asparagine content from lot to lot.

Free asparagine and reducing sugar levels: The ratio between the two precursors matters. When sugar is low and asparagine high, sugar limits acrylamide and only a near complete asparagine removal will make much difference. When sugars rise, for example after cold storage or in senescent tubers, asparagine removal becomes more effective. This is why the enzyme is best used alongside sugar control, not instead of it. For dough-based potato products, EU rules add a raw-material check: where flakes or granules contain more than 1.5% reducing sugars, the producer must show data proving acrylamide is still as low as reasonably achievable.

Enzyme activity and stability

Activity at line conditions: an enzyme with its optimum at 37 °C will underperform in a 60 °C bath and the reverse.
pH drift: acid dips (citric acid, SAPP) change bath pH and may slow the enzyme.
Dilution and carry-out: bath activity drops as product moves through and must be monitored.
Storage: liquid preparations lose activity over time; Novonesis advises using its product within six months when stored at up to 25 °C.

Slice thickness and processing conditions

Surface-to-volume ratio: thin slices and shoestring fries expose more surface per gram, so the treated layer is a larger share of the product.
Blanching: softens cell walls and greatly improves enzyme diffusion into slices and strips.
Vacuum or pressure impregnation: pushes enzyme solution into the tissue and has worked well in laboratory studies.
Frying temperature, time and final colour: even fully treated products form more acrylamide if over-fried. Colour control remains essential.

Benefits and Limitations of Asparaginase:

Asparaginase is the most targeted acrylamide tool available, but in whole-cut potatoes its performance is limited by diffusion, contact time and cost.

Benefits. Asparaginase removes the acrylamide precursor at its source, before any heat is applied. It can deliver large reductions, up to 95% in dough-based snacks, with little or no change to taste, colour or texture. Because it is highly specific, it leaves other amino acids and sugars untouched. It is inactivated by cooking and classed as a processing aid. It also works alongside other measures such as blanching, sugar control and colour control, which helps processors meet EU benchmarks and customer specifications.

Limitations. In whole slices and strips, the solid potato tissue limits enzyme contact, so results vary from line to line. Industrial French fry trials typically report 35–50% reductions, far below the results in doughs and some frozen par-fry setups showed no benefit in published trials. The enzyme needs residence time that fast chip and fry lines may not have. Processors must also pay for the enzyme, extra tanks, controls and testing and monitor bath hygiene, pH and activity continuously. Finally, asparaginase cannot make up for poor raw material or over-frying.

Acrylamide reduction potential: The potential is highest where the enzyme can be mixed into the food: fabricated crisps, pellets, flakes, granules and formed products. In whole-cut fries and chips, a realistic industrial expectation is a partial cut, which can still make the difference between meeting and missing a benchmark.

Effects on product quality: Supplier data report no effect on taste, texture or appearance in processed potato products. Because aspartic acid still takes part in browning, colour development is largely preserved. Long warm dips can, however, leach sugars and affect texture, so the whole pre-treatment should be validated on sensory panels.

Processing costs and operational requirements: Costs include the enzyme itself, extra dip capacity or residence time, temperature and pH control, more frequent cleaning and acrylamide and asparagine testing. Dough-based processes need the least change, since the enzyme is simply dosed with the water.

Technical limitations and challenges

Limited diffusion into intact potato tissue
Short contact time on high-speed lines
Variable raw material between lots and seasons
Weaker effect when sugars, not asparagine, limit acrylamide
Results from the laboratory do not always transfer to the factory

Asparaginase vs Other Acrylamide-Reduction Methods

No single method is enough on its own; processors who meet benchmarks consistently combine raw-material control, pre-treatment and colour control, and add asparaginase where those are not enough.

Asparaginase stands apart because it targets free asparagine directly and leaves flavour and colour largely intact. It is most effective in doughs. Its drawbacks are cost, the contact time it needs and its limited reach into whole-cut fries and chips.

The other methods each tackle a different part of the problem. Variety selection and storage temperature management lower reducing sugars and in good varieties asparagine too, at the raw-material stage, without any change to the line. Blanching and washing are already standard on most lines and leach out both precursors, but too much blanching costs flavour, solids and nutrients. Additives such as acids and calcium salts are cheap and easy to dose, yet can affect taste and texture. Controlling frying temperature and final colour has a large effect at low cost, but it is limited by the colour and crispness consumers expect.

Potato variety selection: Varieties with low reducing sugars are the first line of defence. Breeding is also targeting asparagine directly. In the US, Simplot's Innate potatoes were developed partly to form less acrylamide and university programmes have produced low-acrylamide lines. Gene-edited varieties are in development, though their regulatory status differs by country.

Storage temperature management: Cold storage causes "cold-induced sweetening", a rise in glucose and fructose that sharply increases acrylamide. Sugars build up quickly once tubers fall below about 8 °C and EU rules require storage above 6 °C at a temperature suited to the variety. Sprout control is used alongside and sugar levels are checked before processing. Reconditioning at warmer temperatures can lower sugars again.

Blanching and pretreatment: Blanching in hot water extracts some sugar and asparagine and as shown above, makes the tissue more open to asparaginase. Other pre-treatments include acid dips, calcium salts, SAPP and fermentation with acrylamide-reducing yeast, which received US GRAS status. The FDA guidance also lists calcium salts and acidulants for potato doughs.

Frying conditions and colour control: Frying to a lighter colour, at controlled oil temperatures, is one of the most powerful levers. EU rules require crisp makers to use in-line colour sorting after frying and fry producers to tell end users how to cook their product: 160–175 °C when frying, 180–220 °C in an oven, to a golden yellow colour. Asparaginase is complementary: it allows a product to reach its target colour with less acrylamide.

Commercial Asparaginase Enzymes and Industrial Adoption

Two branded asparaginases, both launched in 2007, built the market: Acrylaway, now sold by Novonesis and PreventASe, developed by DSM.

Food-grade enzyme preparations: Food-grade asparaginase is sold as a liquid or granulate. It is produced by controlled fermentation of a safe production strain, then purified and standardized to a declared activity. Preparations must meet purity specifications, such as those of JECFA and the Food Chemicals Codex and be free of the production organism.

Commercial products and manufacturers

Acrylaway is sold by Novonesis (formerly Novozymes) as a liquid (Acrylaway L) and as a granulate. It is produced with Aspergillus oryzae and was launched globally in August 2007. Its potato range is aimed at potato granules, snack pellets and fabricated snacks.

PreventAS was developed by DSM, now dsm-firmenich and is produced with Aspergillus niger. It gained US GRAS status in 2007 and was approved in Australia and New Zealand in 2009.

Other enzyme makers also supply food-grade asparaginase and research groups continue to test bacterial and thermostable versions. Product names and ranges change, so buyers should confirm current specifications with each supplier.

Industrial applications and adoption: Adoption grew fastest in biscuits, crackers, cereals and dough-based potato snacks, where the enzyme is easy to dose. In 2007, DSM obtained a worldwide licence to the Frito-Lay and Procter & Gamble patents on using asparaginase in food, which cleared the way for its use in products such as fabricated crisps. In whole-cut fries and chips, uptake has been slower. As early as 2011, DSM said many US firms were waiting for regulatory action before investing and it noted that intact potato tissue makes enzyme access harder.

Cost and implementation considerations

Enzyme cost per tonne of product, which depends on the dose needed for the product's geometry
Capital cost of dip tanks or longer conveyors to provide residence time
Running costs of temperature and pH control, cleaning and enzyme top-ups
Testing costs for acrylamide and ideally, free asparagine and reducing sugars
Trials first: pilot and full-line trials are essential, since laboratory cuts often shrink at factory scale
Customer and label requirements: processing-aid status usually means no label declaration, but some retailers ask suppliers to disclose enzyme use

Regulations, Testing and Future Developments in Acrylamide Mitigation

The EU is moving from benchmark levels to binding maximum levels for acrylamide, which will make proven mitigation tools such as asparaginase more valuable to potato processors exporting to Europe.

Acrylamide mitigation guidance and benchmarks

European Union: Regulation (EU) 2017/2158 has required mitigation measures and benchmark levels since April 2018. Food businesses must aim for levels as low as reasonably achievable. Its potato measures cover variety choice, storage, blanching, frying temperature and colour and list asparaginase as a measure for dough-based potato products where possible.

For potato products, the regulation sets a benchmark level of 500 µg/kg for ready-to-eat French fries and 750 µg/kg for potato crisps, whether made from fresh potatoes or from potato dough. Potato-based crackers also have a benchmark of 750 µg/kg.

As of May 2026, the European Commission is reviewing this framework: revising benchmarks, adding product categories and for the first time, setting binding maximum levels for selected foods. Benchmarks and maximum levels may then apply side by side. By August 2026, the Commission had not confirmed which products or values would be covered. It has indicated that benchmarks will be set so that about 80–85% of results fall below them and maximum levels so that at least 95% do. Products above a maximum level could not legally be sold.

United States: The FDA's 2016 final guidance is non-binding and sets no maximum level. It recommends asparaginase among options for fabricated potato snacks, potato doughs and flake production.

International: The Codex Alimentarius Code of Practice for the Reduction of Acrylamide in Foods (CAC/RCP 67-2009) gives global guidance that many countries use as a reference.

Food-processing enzyme regulatory requirements

EU: food enzymes fall under Regulation (EC) No 1332/2008. EFSA is assessing all enzymes for a single Union list, which has not yet been established. Until it is, national rules apply in member states that have them.
US: asparaginase preparations have been notified as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) for use as processing aids.
Australia and New Zealand: FSANZ approved A. niger asparaginase as a processing aid in 2009.
International: JECFA has evaluated asparaginase from A. oryzae and A. niger (in 2007 and 2008) and assigned both an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of "not specified", its most favourable category. Health Canada and Japan have also approved food asparaginase.
Processors outside these markets should check their national food authority's list of permitted processing aids.

Analytical testing and process verification

Acrylamide is measured by LC-MS/MS or GC-MS; the European standard EN 16618 describes an LC-MS/MS method. EU rules require sampling and analysis to verify that mitigation works. Good practice for enzyme users adds:

Incoming checks of reducing sugars (and ideally free asparagine) on each potato lot
Fry-colour checks, since colour is a fast proxy for acrylamide
Enzyme activity checks in the dip bath or dosing system
Acrylamide tests before and after introducing the enzyme, on the full line

Analytical Testing and Process Verification for Acrylamide Reduction in Potato Processing

Future research and technological developments

Thermostable and acid-tolerant asparaginases that work at blanching temperatures or in acidic dips
Better delivery into whole cuts, for example vacuum impregnation and pulsed electric field (PEF) pre-treatment, which opens cell membranes
Lower-cost enzymes from new microbial sources and immobilized enzyme systems that can be reused
Low-asparagine potatoes through breeding and gene editing of asparagine synthesis
Combined strategies that pair low-sugar raw material, blanching, asparaginase and colour control to meet the tighter EU limits ahead

Frequently Asked Questions

Is asparaginase safe in food?

Yes. Food-grade asparaginase has been assessed by JECFA, holds GRAS status in the US and is approved as a processing aid in Australia and New Zealand. It is inactivated by cooking and converts asparagine into aspartic acid, a normal dietary amino acid.

Does asparaginase change the taste of chips or fries?

Supplier and published data report little or no change in taste, texture or colour. Long warm pre-treatment dips can affect texture, so sensory testing is still advised.

How much can asparaginase reduce acrylamide in French fries?

Laboratory studies report 60–85% when strips are blanched first; industrial trials have reported 35–50%. Results on frozen par-fry lines vary.

Do I need to declare asparaginase on the label?

In most markets it is treated as a processing aid and is not declared. Rules differ by country, so check local requirements.

Can asparaginase replace good potato storage and frying practice?

No. It works best on top of low-sugar raw material, correct storage, blanching and frying to a golden colour.

Why do fried potatoes contain acrylamide?

Potatoes contain free asparagine and reducing sugars. When they are fried or baked above about 120 °C, these react in the Maillard reaction and form acrylamide, mostly in the dry, browned outer layer.

Is the asparaginase used in food the same as the leukaemia drug?

No. Medical asparaginase usually comes from E. coli or Erwinia bacteria and is injected. Food asparaginase comes from Aspergillus moulds, is used in tiny amounts and is inactivated by cooking.

Is asparaginase made from genetically modified organisms?

Some commercial asparaginases are produced with genetically modified production strains of Aspergillus. The finished enzyme preparation is purified and must be free of the production organism. Labelling rules for such enzymes differ by country.

Is asparaginase vegetarian, halal or kosher?

It is made by microbial fermentation, not from animals. Halal, kosher and vegetarian status depends on each supplier's formulation and certification, so request certificates.

Which works better: asparaginase or blanching?

They work best together. In a Chilean study on chips, blanching alone and enzyme alone each gave modest reductions, while blanching followed by asparaginase cut acrylamide by almost 90%.

Can I use asparaginase at home?

It is not sold for household use. At home, store potatoes in a cool, dark place rather than the fridge, soak cut potatoes in water before frying, keep oil at 160–175 °C and cook to a golden yellow colour.