MAASTRICHT, Netherlands — Acrylamide is not linked to gastrointestinal illnesses, according to a study recently in the Journal of Nutrition. The chemical found in French fries, chips, cakes and other treats was first deemed harmful by the World Health Organization in 1994 and was classified as a "probable human carcinogen based on studies in which animals were exposed to as much as 100,000 times the levels normally consumed in food,” Scientific American reported this week.
According to Scientific American, previous human studies showed that when cooked at high temperatures, acrylamide “(a chemical formed from sugars and asparagine — an amino acid, or protein building block) may be linked to cancers of the uterus, ovaries and kidneys.”
However, the new Dutch study revealed that “overall, acrylamide intake was not associated with colorectal, gastric, pancreatic and esophageal cancer risk.”
Sources:
Scientific American, Study clears acrylamide of gastrointestinal cancer link
The Journal of Nutrition