The baking, grilling or frying of starchy foods can create a harmful substance called acrylamide. Laboratory studies in animals have linked cancer to exposure of high doses of the chemical. Though humans typically eat much lower amounts than those studied in animals, the Food and Drug Administration has initiated research on the health effects in people.
At this point, should we be concerned? How can you and I reduce intake of acrylamide from food? My answers to these and other commonly asked questions about acrylamide follow.
Q: What is acrylamide?
A: It’s a chemical that forms in some foods during cooking at high temperatures. The natural sugars and the amino acid asparagine found in some plant foods combine naturally to produce acrylamide when subjected to high heat. Common food sources of the chemical include potatoes, grain products and coffee.
Acrylamide is manufactured industrially for use in the production of polyacrylamide gels. These gels are used to make plastics, glues, grouts, concrete, paper and cosmetics, and are commonly employed in the treatment of drinking water and wastewater.
Very low levels of acrylamide are present in drinking-water compared to the much larger amounts of the chemical found in cigarette smoke and certain foods.
Q: What are the health risks?
A: Acrylamide has caused nerve damage in people exposed to very high levels through their work. The chemical can also cause cancer in laboratory animals receiving doses much higher than those seen in food.
The FDA has research in progress to determine whether the amounts of acrylamide found in food pose a health risk to people. At present, the World Health Organization classifies acrylamide as “probably carcinogenic to humans” on the basis of the evidence from animal studies.
Q: What foods and cooking techniques are risky?
A: At the heart of problem is the way we prepare potatoes and grain products. Some of the largest sources of acrylamine in the diet include french fries, potato chips, ready-to-eat cereals, cookies, graham crackers, pastries, coffee and toast. All of these products are processed or prepared at high temperatures.
Large amounts of acrylamide form during high-temperature cooking techniques such as frying, grilling, broiling, roasting or baking. Foods that are cooked to a dark brown color contain higher amounts of the chemical than those that are stopped at a golden yellow.
Q: Best techniques to reduce intake?
A: Little or no acrylamide is produced during lower-temperature methods such as boiling, steaming, poaching, braising, blanching and microwaving.
Other tips: Storing potatoes outside the refrigerator in a cool, dark place reduces formation of the chemical during cooking. Before roasting or frying potatoes, soak slices in water for 15 to 30 minutes, then drain and blot dry. And avoid eating very browned areas of potatoes or other foods.
Acrylamide is usually not present in raw plant foods. It’s typically not associated with meat, dairy products or seafood, either, I’d like to add.
Q: Is it necessary to avoid certain foods?
A: I recommend limiting consumption of highly processed foods. The higher the temperatures and the longer the times that plant foods are cooked, the greater the amounts of acrylamides that are formed.
Concentrate on a healthful eating plan, instead. Put the emphasis on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, low-fat dairy products, nuts, seeds and lean meat. Cook at recommended temperatures to destroy germs while preserving the maximum flavor and nutritional value of your food.
For more information: Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, www.cfsan.fda.gov.
Contact Dr. Elizabeth Smoots, a board-certified family physician and fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, at doctor@practicalprevention.com.
&Copy; 2008 Elizabeth S. Smoots
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