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Acrylamide is a chemical used in industrial processes and can be found in some foods when starchy foods are fried at high temperatures. High doses can cause nerve damage and cancer, but the small amounts in food are not a major concern as long as people eat a balanced diet with low concentrations of fried foods.
Acrylamide is a chemical compound that is used in the production of polyacrylamide chemicals, which have numerous industrial uses. Products made with acrylamide are classically used as thickeners in industrial processes. In 2002, Swedish researchers learned that acrylamide was present in some foods and raised concerns about the health effects of consuming acrylamide. Several health and safety agencies monitor levels of this chemical in food and drinking water to protect the public.
In the industrial realm, acrylamide is used in things like the manufacture of plastics, synthetic fabrics, and electrophoresis gels used in laboratories. The chemical is also used in wastewater and drinking water treatment, to aid in thickening so that impurities can be drawn out of the water. In the natural environment, acrylamide decomposes relatively quickly and has no tendency to bioaccumulate, as numerous studies have shown. Levels of the chemical in drinking water are closely monitored with routine water quality tests.
When starchy foods like potatoes are fried at high temperatures, a reaction between sugars and amino acids in the food causes acrylamide to form. This reaction appears to be heat dependent and has so far only been observed in foods fried at very high temperatures. Paste formation can be reduced by frying at lower temperatures. The researchers believe this reaction has always occurred and was simply not noticed prior to the 2002 studies.
High doses of acrylamide can cause nerve damage, and prolonged exposure has been linked to the development of cancers, particularly reproductive cancers. People who work in environments where acrylamide is handled and produced have had exposure-related health problems that have been linked to this chemical, and carcinogenic properties have also been observed in laboratory animals. These health effects are a concern for regulatory agencies that would like to reduce human exposure to acrylamide.
The presence of this compound in foods shouldn’t be a major concern. The compound exists in small amounts that have not been linked to health problems, and as long as people are eating a balanced diet with a low concentration of fried foods, they shouldn’t be exposed to enough of the chemicals to cause disease. Reducing your intake of fried foods may also be more generally beneficial, and such foods should play very small part in a healthy diet.
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