Acrylamide in the News

Ever since researchers discovered acrylamide, a suspected human carcinogen, occurs naturally in many protein-containing foods subjected to heat, the topic pops up in terms of toxicity (or not), formation and prevention, and regulation. The past several weeks has seen a uptick in interest: Health Canada is recommending that acrylamide be added to the country’s list of toxic substances, Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999) and the FDA has requested comments and data on acrylamide in food that could result in the agency issuing guidance for industry on reduction of acrylamide levels in foods.

In April 2002 the Swedish National Food Authority reported the presence of elevated levels of acrylamide in certain types of food processed at high temperatures. This reaction typically occurs when asparagine, a naturally occurring amino acid, reacts with sugars at high temperatures used for frying, baking or roasting, but not temperatures encountered in boiling. A subsequent lawsuit by the state of California in 2008, courtesy of Prop 65, resulted in potato chip makers Frito-Lay, Kettle Foods and Lance Inc., and French-fry producer Heinz, paying fines and agreeing to reduce acrylamide in their products. And while Lays Potato Chips were not exactly slackers in the original FDA acrylamide post-lawsuit data with an average of about 350 ppb acrylamide, it’s interesting that a number of products positioned as healthy had much higher levels―up to 5X.

While certain health organizations (WHO and FAO) have said acrylamide in food could be a major threat, currently there doesn’t seem to be a lot of evidence to back that up according to The National Cancer Institute ( a branch of the National Institutes of Health) other than a possible endocrine hormone-related effect. In short, the jury’s still out on the threat level.

Should science prove this to be an actual danger, research is ongoing on how to reduce this naturally occurring compound in processed foods. So, from my perspective FDA guidance is a worthwhile step―whether it’s an actual health risk, or just a financial one should you choose to do business in the state of California. If acrylamide is indeed a health problem and the industry starts to control the levels produced, it would be rather ironic that processed foods and foods from the national chains might be safer than home or non-chain restaurant-cooked meals (other than Bob’s Boiled Grub)―unless the government decides to ban toast, bread and cookie baking, home-cut fries, pan-fried breaded meats and the like.

   ―Lynn A. Kuntz