Potatoes are among the vegetables we like to fry or roast before serving. There’s a good reason for that. Potatoes are hard like stale bread, and eating them raw can cause digestive issues. But you should think twice before eating fried potato snacks like french fries and potato chips. These processed foods contain a chemical called acrylamide that may increase your risk of cancer.

Acrylamide linked to cancer

Acrylamide forms in plant-based foods during high-temperature cooking, such as frying, roasting and baking. Extreme heat causes simple sugars like glucose and fructose to react with the amino acid asparagine. This process, called the Maillard reaction, or browning, produces acrylamide and gives french fries and potato chips their flavor, crispiness and color.

Nobody knew acrylamide existed in food until 2002 when Swedish researchers discovered the chemical in cooked carb-rich foods. Before this, it was thought that acrylamide was found mainly in things like grout and soil-stabilizer products. Industrial workers at acrylamide factories were commonly exposed to the chemical.

Plenty of studies have been done on acrylamide since its discovery, and the results are quite alarming. A 2014 review found that acrylamide is associated with an increased risk of cancer in both mice and humans. The review determined that individuals who consumed high amounts of acrylamide were more likely to develop cancer than those who consumed small amounts.

A 2019 study looked deeper into the cancer-causing mechanisms of acrylamide. In it, researchers examined roughly 1,600 different tumor samples to assess the link between human cancers and acrylamide exposure. Those samples included liver, kidney, bile duct, colon and uterus cancers that were linked to dietary and occupational exposure to acrylamide.

The researchers found that 30 percent of all the samples had mutations linked to glycidamide, which forms when the body metabolizes acrylamide. This finding led the researchers to conclude that acrylamide causes genetic mutations in humans that lead to cancer.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies acrylamide as a probable carcinogen. This means there is strong evidence that it can cause cancer in humans but, at present, this causal effect is inconclusive.

Other health problems linked to acrylamide

Acrylamide is considered to be neurotoxic, meaning it’s harmful to the brain. Exposure to high levels of the chemical can cause confusion, hallucination, muscle weakness and loss of coordination.

Recent studies show that persistent exposure to acrylamide can damage brain cells and contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers have also noted that acrylamide is structurally similar to acrolein, a chemical present at high levels in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

Acrylamide is also toxic to the reproductive system. A Japanese study found that the chemical and three of its analogs decrease fertility, reduce sperm count and cause abnormalities in the structure of sperms.

How to avoid acrylamide in food

Acrylamide is found mainly in plant-based foods cooked at high temperatures. These foods are usually rich in carbs, such as processed potatoes, breakfast cereals, crackers and packaged cookies. They also include coffee and roasted nuts, among others. French fries and potato chips contain some of the highest levels of acrylamide among foods.

Acrylamide does not form, or occurs only in small amounts, in dairy products, meat and fish. But you should still avoid cooking meat at very high temperatures as it can produce other cancer-causing chemicals, such as heterocyclic amines.

Cooking methods that produce acrylamide include frying, roasting, grilling, toasting and baking. Boiling and steaming, on the other hand, do not usually create acrylamide, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Acrylamide tends to accumulate when you cook certain foods for extended periods of time at very high temperatures.

When cooking, consider boiling or steaming to minimize your exposure to acrylamide and other toxic chemicals. You should also stop smoking because cigarette smoke contains acrylamide.

Sources:

NaturalHealth365.com

Britannica.com

CTVNews.ca

ScienceDaily.com

Link.Springer.com

Cancer.gov

FDA.gov