Warning Issued on Fried Foods

Acrylamide in food is produced by the same chemical reaction that “browns” food – also making it tastier – during everyday high temperature (over 150°C) cooking in the home, catering and food manufacturing.  Coffee, fried potato products, biscuits, crackers and crisp breads, soft bread and certain baby foods are important dietary sources of acrylamide. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has drafted a Scientific Opinion on acrylamide in food.   EFSA has confirmed previous evaluations that, based on animal studies, acrylamide in food potentially increases the risk of developing cancer for consumers in all age groups.   While concluding that: “human studies have not demonstrated [acrylamide] to be a human carcinogen,  the EFSA warns that: “the margins of exposure across dietary surveys and age groups indicate a concern with respect to neoplastic effects.”