The EU has created a much stricter benchmark for safe levels of acrylamide in food (at least related to the growth of tumors) at 0.17 µg/day per kilogram of body weight. Doing the math, a person weighing 154 lbs (70 kg) could safely consume 26 µg of acrylamide each day.
For acrylamide, the safe harbor level is the same as the so-called no significant risk level (NSRL): 0.2 micrograms per day. An eight-ounce cup of Starbucks runs about 9 parts per billion acrylamide, which translates to about 2 micrograms, or ten times the NSRL.
The link between acrylamide in food and cancer is not clear. The only studies to show a clear link between acrylamide and cancer are animal studies. These involved very high levels of the chemical. Studies that followed people over time did not find a link between eating foods with acrylamide and cancer.
Acrylamide has been shown to cause cancer in animals exposed to very high doses, and although there is no consistent epidemiological evidence on the effect of acrylamide from food consumption on cancer in humans, both the U.S. National Toxicology Program and the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health ...
However, the amount of acrylamide in your average brewed coffee is 0.45 micrograms, according to a widely cited 2013 Swedish study. Compare this to the 39-82 micrograms of acrylamide that you'll find in your average serving of fast-food french fries, and that cup of coffee is looking less carcinogenic by the minute.
The US National Toxicology Program (NTP) has classified acrylamide as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies acrylamide as “likely to be carcinogenic to humans.”
The EU has created a much stricter benchmark for safe levels of acrylamide in food (at least related to the growth of tumors) at 0.17 µg/day per kilogram of body weight. Doing the math, a person weighing 154 lbs (70 kg) could safely consume 26 µg of acrylamide each day.
Oats have the second highest acrylamide forming potential of rye, wheat, barley and oats. Several studies have found high levels of acrylamide in oat products that exceed the benchmark limits within the EU. These limits might be strict limits in future which every food producer needs to follow.
Tests with antioxidants
Even rosemary in small quantities – in one per cent of the dough – was enough to reduce the acrylamide content significantly. Flavonoids are another type of antioxidant found, among other things, in vegetables, chocolate and tea.
The major food sources of acrylamide are French fries and potato chips; crackers, bread, and cookies; breakfast cereals; canned black olives; prune juice; and coffee. Acrylamide levels in food vary widely depending on the manufacturer, the cooking time, and the method and temperature of the cooking process (5, 6).
Once in your body, acrylamide enters your body fluids. Acrylamide and its breakdown products leave your body mostly through urine; small amounts may leave through feces, exhaled air, and breast milk.
Histopathological evidence of acrylamide-induced peripheral neuropathy has been observed in rats receiving oral doses as low as 1 mg/kg/day for 3 months; the observed degenerative effects in peripheral nerve fibers at such dose levels have been shown to be completely reversible within a few months following the ...
The MOEs for the cancer- related effects of acrylamide range from 425 for average adult consumers down to 50 for high consuming toddlers (Table 30, page 210). These ranges indicate a concern for public health. For non-genotoxic substances, an MOE of 100 or higher normally indicates no concern for public health.
Acrylamide is found mainly in foods made from plants, such as potato products, grain products, or coffee. Acrylamide does not form, or forms at lower levels, in dairy, meat, and fish products. Generally, acrylamide is more likely to accumulate when cooking is done for longer periods or at higher temperatures.
The formation of acrylamide in both banana varieties was enhanced with an increase in both reducing sugars (glucose and fructose). This research demonstrated that the formation of acrylamide was strongly dependent on the concentration of, both glucose and fructose.
Food choice and acrylamide exposure
Acrylamide is not typically associated with meat, dairy, or seafood products. Acrylamide is typically found in plant-based foods cooked with high heat (e.g., frying, roasting, and baking), not raw plant-based foods or foods cooked by steaming or boiling.
Evaluation of the acrylamide content levels in end-consumer cocoa and chocolate products revealed that 57% of the examined samples contained acrylamide levels above the limit of quantification. The range of acrylamide content levels determined came to between < LOQ and 400 µg kg−1.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration monitors acrylamide levels in certain foods, and amounts in peanuts and peanut products are low or undetectable. If present, acrylamide naturally forms when peanuts are roasted; it is not added to peanut butter by manufacturers.
Air fryers themselves aren't a cause of cancer, but air frying does produce certain compounds such as acrylamide, which is considered a "probable" carcinogen.
The higher the temperature of stir-or deep-frying and the longer the cooking time, the higher the concentration of acrylamide. Avoid scorching of potatoes and vegetables as much as possible when frying. Stop toasting slices of bread when the color of bread is still golden yellow.
Acrylamide has been found in a wide variety of cooked foods, including those prepared industrially, in catering and at home. It is found in staple foods such as bread and potatoes as well as in other everyday products such as crisps, biscuits and coffee.
Baking foods to a golden yellow, or lighter colour, and at lower oven temperatures will reduce acrylamide levels. When cooking foods such as toast and toasted sandwiches do not over-toast or burn. Cooking bread to a golden colour, or lighter, will help to keep acrylamide levels lower.